cluster International workshop for EXPO 2015

Last week Cluster International Workshop started at Campus Bovisa of the Politecnico. It is an initiative organized by Expo 2015 S.p.A. in partnership with Politecnico di Milano. The workshop will be attended by 18 International Universities and it will be aimed to design the nine Clusters, the innovative participation solution of the World Exhibition. The nine clusters are common areas dedicated to participating Countries that do not intend to participate with a stand-alone exhibition space. Clusters will group within the same architectural project a number of Countries by overcoming the geographical settings of the last Expos but focusing on a prominent, shared and representative theme. Expo Milano 2015 Clusters, that will host 80 Countries more than the half of the Participants, will allow Countries to share spaces, cultures, traditions and knowledge by developing a common theme but keeping their identity. In particular: Rice; Coffee, Cereals and Tubers; Cocoa; Fruits and Legumes; the World of Spices; BioMediterraneum; Islands and Food; Agriculture in Arid Zones. The Cluster International Workshop is aimed to encourage the declination of Clusters’ themes through a multidisciplinary and participative approach. 135 students, 38 Professors and 18 tutors from some of the most well-known Universities, both Italian and international, will start off a creative lab aimed to a useful exchange of knowledge. The Cluster International Workshop follows Expo 2015 S.p.A.’s approach: betting on creative young people, as already happened for the selection of the mark, and on the education by involving some well-known international Universities from the five Continents. 9 working groups, each made up of 15 students, 2 tutors and 4 Professors, will develop 3 architectural concepts for the design of every Cluster through sketches, drawings and renderings to define the identity of the Clusters, their functions and peculiarities. The workshop format is structured in lessons, workshops and visits with well-known international Professors and designers such as Kengo Kuma from Japan, Marti Guixé from Spain and Michael Radtke from Germany, experts, such as Carlo Cracco and Andrea Sinigaglia, Expo 2015 tutors, representatives of Countries. The students will be also involved in tour to visit the most appealing architectures in Milan and the building site of Expo Milano 2015. The 27 concepts will be published in a collection and they will be displayed in an exhibition during the second International Participants Meeting (10-12 October). “The Cluster International Workshop is perfectly aligned with the aim of deepening the Expo Milano 2015 themes – stated Giuliano Pisapia, Mayor of the city of Milan and Special Commissioner of the Italian Government for Expo Milano 2015 -. In the next years initiatives, like this, will make the city of Milan the center of the debate on food, water resources and sustainability. However, the innovative lab for the thematic pavilions, started with the collaboration between Expo 2015 Spa and Politecnico of Milan, is meaningful because the involvement of young people, both Italian and international, demonstrates the attention that Expo Milano 2015 dedicates to the new generations because of their crucial role for the economic development of the Planet and for the building of a more equal and interconnected world”. “The idea to develop the concepts of Expo Milano 2015 Clusters through an international workshop with the support of Politecnico of Milan – declared Giuseppe Sala, CEO of Expo 2015 S.p.A. – is is optimal occasion both for the opportunity offered to young people and for the results that come from a such initiative, giving us the possibility to select among the 27 creative projects”. Giovanni Azzone, Rector of Politecnico, added: “With the Cluster International Workshop, Politecnico, thanks to its relationships with the most well-known Universities and architectural schools in the world, provides to Expo Milano 2015 a heritage of knowledge that will guarantee quality and innovation for the Cluster project, a unique occasion able to encourage important synergies with the Participants”. What is a Cluster? The participation model “Cluster” is one of the peculiarities of Expo Milano 2015. These innovative exhibition spaces group, within the same architectural project, a number of Countries focused on a prominent, shared and representative theme. The participation model of Cluster is aimed to the collaboration with and among the participating Countries, by encouraging them to make a comparison among different cultures, innovative interpretations of the theme “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life” and solutions for common challenges in the fields of the agriculture, nutrition and well-being. This model allows Countries from different Regions and Continents to collaborate by strengthening the universal character of Expo Milano 2015. Clusters will be organized around specific food chains (Rice, Cereals and Tubers, Spices, Cocoa, Coffee, Fruits and Legumes and the World of Spices) or specific themes of interests (Agriculture and Nutrition in Arid Zones; Islands, Sea and Food; BioMediterraneum). In this way, we create “villages” with a strong geographical and thematic identity with open spaces that can be used for events, restaurants and shops in order to offer visitors a new and participated experience. The Universities and the international Schools, two for each Cluster, are the following: • University of São Paulo, Architecture and Urban Department (Brazil), and University of Nairobi (Kenya) for the Coffee Cluster • Tongji University (China) and National University of Civil Engineering Hanoi (Vietnam) for Rice Cluster • Academy of Architecture of Mendrisio – Università della Svizzera Italiana (to be confirmed) and Tecnológico de Monterrey ITESM (Mexico) for the Cocoa Cluster • The Bezalel Academy of Art and Design (Israel) and Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town (South Africa) for the Fruits and Legumes Clusters Cluster • IUAV – Istituto Universitario di Architettura of Venice and NID National Institute of Design (India) for the Spices Clusters • Parsons, the New School for Design (New York) e MARKHI – Moscow Institute of Architecture (Russia) per il Cluster Cereali e Tuberi • Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli and American University in Cairo (Egypt) for the BioMediterraneum Cluster • ETSAM Escuela técnica superior de arquitectura de Madrid (Spain) and Birzeit University (Palestinian National Authority) for Agriculture in Arid Zones Cluster • Aalto University (Finland) and University of Tokyo (Japan) for Islands and Food Cluster. MAIN SPEAKERS OF THE CLUSTER INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP and lectures at Bovisa Campus (Castiglioni Room) • Giovanni Azzone, Rector of Politecnico di Milano • Elisa Bianco, Centro Studi Slow Food 28 september 2012 • Stefano Bocchi, Professor of Agronomy at the Faculty of Agriculture of University of Milan 24 september 2012 • Luisa Collina,Professor of Scuola di Design, Politecnico di Milano. Rector Delegate for Expo 2015 • Carlo Cracco, Chef Executive al Ristorante Cracco di Milano, member of the board of “Masterchef Italia” 21 september 2012 • Stefano Gatti, International Affairs General Manager EXPO 2015 S.p.A. • Matteo Gatto, Thematic Spaces Director EXPO 2015 S.p.A. • Marti Guixe. He introduces himself as “ex designer”. His projects are focused on consumer habits, information exchange and selection processes 21 september 2012 • Kengo Kuma. Architect, Professor at University of Tokyo (Giappone). Founder of the office “Kengo Kuma & Associates” 26 september 2012 • Luca Molinari, associate professor of architecture at Seconda Università di Napoli. He is the scientific manager of “EXPO Milano 2015 Cluster International Workshop” • Michael Radtke, Architect, founder of the office “MAR Architects” 22 september 2012 • Davide Rampello, Former President of “Foundation Triennale Milano”. Artistic Director of “Padiglione Zero” for Expo Milano 2015 21 september 2012 • Giuseppe Sala, CEO EXPO 2015 S.p.A. • Andrea Sinigaglia, Executive Manager at the international school of “Cucina Italiana di Alma”, ked by the chef Gualtiero Marchesi 27 september 2012 • Stefano Mirti, Interaction designer, founder of Id-lab, Professor at Università Bocconi, Milano 24 september 2012 • Valerio Zingarelli, Technologies & Technical Services General Manager EXPO 2015 S.p.A. 2 october 2012 Contact Sec Relazioni Pubbliche e Istituzionali 02/6249991 Marcella Ruggiero, +39 335/214241 – [email protected] Alessandro D’Angelo, +39 329/4139226 – [email protected] Press Office Expo 2015 S.p.A. +39 02/89459400 – [email protected] EXPO 2015