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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination.

Austrian Pavilion Expo 2008 Zaragoza by SOLID architecture ZT GmbH

 
November 20th, 2011 by Sumit Singhal

Article source: SOLID architecture ZT GmbH

The Austrian Pavilion at the EXPO 2008 in Zaragoza was designed by an interdisciplinary team formed by SOLID architecture, Michael Strauss and Scott Ritter.  For the EXPO 2008 the participating countries rented spaces in buildings provided by the organizer. The room made available for the Austrian pavilion had a semi-circular shape. The central idea of the design concept was to double that shape to the figure of a cylinder by using a floor-to-ceiling mirror. This mirror extended along the length of the room and doubled a digital 180° projection on the curved interior wall into a 360° panorama. By means of digital projection the panorama underwent permanent changes.

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

  • Architects: SOLID architecture ZT GmbH
  • Project: Austrian Pavilion Expo 2008 Zaragoza
  • Location: Ebro 1.1 – Avenida Ranillas 101, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
  • Competition: first prize in open, two-stage competition
  • Start of planning: June 2007
  • Start of construction: February 2008
  • Completion: June 2008
  • Net usable floor area: 760 m²

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

  • Spatial programme: Austrian Pavilion with foyer, shop, exhibition space, VIP lounge, staff- and service area
  • Client: Austrian Chamber of Commerce
  • Structural Engineering: RWT PLUS ZT GmbH
  • Building Physics: RWT PLUS ZT GmbH
  • Heat / Ventilation Engineering: Altherm Engineering GmbH
  • Electrical Engineering: Altherm Engineering GmbH.
  • General Contractor: Nüssli  AG
  • Photographer: Günter Kresser
  • Copyright of photos held by: SOLID architecture ZT GmbH

 

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

In terms of building typology the Austrian pavilion transposed the historical panorama building into the present. The viewer’s platform in the middle and the three-dimensionally designed foreground of the historical panorama architecture were merged into a white landscape. This landscape was dissolved into contour lines and became the exhibition area of the pavilion.

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

The abstract form of the landscape made the exhibition space become part of the changing panoramic projections. Surrounded by mountain tops, it turned into a snow-covered hilltop. The projection of a forest turned it into a green clearing. The design of the landscape used the concept of reflection through the mirror to create diverse spatial and visual relations and situations.

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

An arena with a pneumatic stage in its centre was created that only became complete in its reflection, a plateau offered the ideal overview onto the pavilion and a hollow way avoided the doubling effect of the mirror. One space was located behind the level of the mirror, only accessible through an opening in the mirror itself.

 

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

For the visitors the landscape like designed exhibition space was a stage set to walk on. The visitor became part of this stage setting, as he moved through the pavilion on the exhibition area. By means of mirroring the room, the visitor and his reflection were an integral part of and an actor in the panorama setting.

 

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

In the exhibition space of the pavilion works of various artists were shown dealing with the theme of the EXPO 2008 “Water and Sustainability”, reaching from sculpture, digital art and dance performances to music. The exterior façade of the pavilion also dealt with the topic of Landscape and Spectator, showing an image of the photographer Walter Niedermayr.

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

Image Courtesy Günter Kresser

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Categories: Exhibition Center, Pavilion




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