Get a glimpse of the USA Expo 2015 Pavilion exhibitions by Thinc Design

Thinc Design from New York took on the crucial role of exhibition designer for the USA Pavilion, which will be showcased during the Milan Expo 2015 starting in May. With Biber Architects in charge of the pavilion itself, Thinc's exhibition inside will focus on the U.S.' role in the global food system, as a response to the Expo's overall food-related theme, "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life."

Located in a 26,000 sq.ft space, the exhibition will address important topics like food security and policy, international relations, science and technology, nutrition and health, and culinary culture.

Project description:

"The theme of Expo Milano is food and the challenge of feeding the estimated 9 billion people who will inhabit our planet by the year 2050.  The theme, 'Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,' will unite 130-plus countries into action around the challenges and opportunities facing our global food system and the sustainable development of our planet...

Using provocative, interactive exhibits and digital media, exhibitions in the pavilion will present multifaceted American perspectives on global food security, sustainability, farming, nutrition, energy and business ­ playfully exploring contemporary American food culture through a series of immersive presentations."

"Visitor Experience: Inside, the pavilion reveals itself as a building filled with light and populated by a forest of exhibit stations that swirl upwards, topped with growing plants.  Visitors enter the main floor of the pavilion through a soundscape of American voices.  At the top of the stairs, they see that the stations are crowned with 'chandeliers' ­ growing plants that echo the exterior vertical farm.  These fantastic, growing 'fixtures' enable visitors to smell and touch these plants, which are maintained through high-efficiency grow lights and innovative irrigation systems.

This exhibit floor introduces visitors to the people of America, engaged in the world and working at the vanguard of our food industries ­ the farmers, the chefs, the scientists and many more.  People can gather around videos and tabletop displays at each station. There, they encounter the scale and spectrum of American ingenuity, and Americans¹ dedication to addressing the challenges of global food security. These stories are told with pride, warmth and expertise.  Everywhere they look, visitors can find inspiration for their own potential in the people, projects and the achievements around them."

"Visitors depart from this level of the pavilion into a short queue before entering the 'Great American Foodscape.'  This experience immerses people in a ³delicious² and often humorous version of America ­ a journey through our country¹s history, tradition and culture, through contemporary American food.  Visitors have a series of encounters with the best of our growing, cooking and eating. For example, the exhibit explores Thanksgiving and its many regional and cultural variations, each ethnic group giving its own ³twist² to this American tradition that brings families together.  The experience is at once nostalgic and contemporary, comical and passionate, and ultimately revealing of our creativity and incredible diversity.

Another subject will be the 'Farm-to-Table' movement, exploring how the highways and transportation innovations of post-World War II America helped transform the economy of food to supermarkets throughout the country.  Where most have had little idea of where their food came from, many are now aware ­ the pendulum has swung back to support local agriculture and to locally available, fresh, quality products.  Barbeque, artisanal products, and much more will be included in the wide range of subjects covered in the Foodscape."

"College student 'ambassadors' will help guide visitors through the pavilion as representatives of the United States. These energetic, multilingual young people will play a significant role in the pavilion ­ to help the staff and raise awareness around the importance of global food security for the future of our world.

As people emerge from the Foodscape, they are directed toward Food Truck Nation with American chefs offering some of the country¹s most innovative and tasty street food.  Visitors also have the option inside the pavilion to visit the rooftop level, where they can see a media installation on our wine making and distilleries, as a complement to the rooftop bar."

Find out more about the USA Pavilion here.

All images courtesy of Thinc Design.

Check out some of Thinc Design's early sketches of the exhibition below.