The World Expo 2008 was organised in Zaragoza, Spain, under the theme ‘Water and Sustainable Development’. To tie in with the theme, the architects at KIPP PROJEKT designed the Polish Pavilion, which was like a giant graduation tower.
The design of the pavilion was selected in a competition. The winning concept then was prepared by architects: Adrian Górecki, Marcin Przygoda, Marta Wielgus, Marek Papiernik and Dorota Filutowska from the KIPP PROJEKT studio. The individual countries did not build the pavilions from scratch. The organisers prepared the structures of the buildings in advance, and the individual countries were responsible for finishing them. This mainly boiled down to the façade and interior design.
The Polish architects wanted to relate to the EXPO 2008 slogan, so they proposed a building whose appearance resembled a graduation tower. Like a wooden grate, the façade was decorated with densely arranged blackthorn branches, along which the brine water flowed. Queuing visitors could feel the pleasant, cool mist building up the atmosphere of a visit to a therapeutic spa. The main entrance was distinguished by a clean, white surface with rounded shapes.
Inside, a walking path was laid out along the wall of the graduation tower. Visitors to the pavilion entered a large room. The dim light, blue colours and the white structures set up were reminiscent of a visit to a salt grotto. These white forms were meant to evoke sails and acted as thematic exhibitions. Animations were projected onto their surfaces.
Exploring the interior, walkers walked on bridges, between reed beds and water tanks. In dry and hot Spain, a visit to a pavilion arranged in this way was a pleasant change. The visit to the pavilion was crowned by a restaurant. The ubiquitous wood there is a reference to the interiors of luxury yachts.
The design of the pavilion was highly appreciated by the organisers. The pavilion was awarded the third prize for the most attractive pavilion of the entire exhibition.
PS We recently reminded you what the Polish Pavilion at EXPO 2005 looked like. You can see the building like a giant wicker lantern by clicking HERE. And what will the Polish Pavilion look like at the next EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Japan? You can read an interview with the architects about the building HERE.
source: KIPP PROJECT(www.kipp.com.pl)
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Facade of the building:
Exposure:
Information desk, restaurant and shop. The last photo shows the glass sculpture “Poland – Wind in Sails” by Tomasz Urbanowicz (2008):
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