The concept of Palazzo Italia identifies the "Tree of Life" as the main icon and the generating element of the space composition. The "Tree of Life" takes on the role of a spatial, technological and distributive device as well as a metaphorical meaning referred to the contribution that Italy and its culture have given to the overall development of Western history. In the project the "Tree of life" turns on a spatial and morphological dialectic between itself and the volume that contains it. They integrate themselves in the architectural type of the "basilica". The topic of the square refers to the history of the cities of Italy and their architecture, in relation to the geographical uniqueness of our country, strongly related to the sea. In the project the water is not in front of the square, but it is below its surface, as it happens in the subsoil of Milan. In this way, the water could reflect and multiplies the square in a spatial and metaphorical perception.

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Team:
DBmLab Architects, Caputo Partnership s.r.l., Arup Italia, Arch. Maurizio Petronio, Studio Giorgetta (landscape), AFC Antonio Corbo, Studio Castiglioni (lighting), Pininfarina Extra; consultants: Studio Azzurro, Philippe Daverio, Massimo Negri

Year:
2013

Location:
Milano (MI), Italy

Client:
Expo s.p.a.

Status:
Competition

Category:
Architecture

Services:

International design competition. Outline design