Designers sought for 2015 Milan Expo UK Pavilion

The 2010 Shanghai Expo UK Pavilion was designed by Heatherwick Studio, which created the Seed Pavilion, comprising fibre-optic quills containing seeds.

The theme of the 2015 Milan Expo is ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’, and designs for all pavilions must seek to address this theme, looking at areas including food production and consumption, and celebrating ‘the life-enhancing and cultural aspects of food and drink’, according to UKTI.

Competition organiser Malcolm Reading Consultants adds that the pavilion concept must be ‘original, visually compelling and memorable’.

The £6 million pavilion project is seeking expressions of interest from multi-disciplinary teams with expertise in contemporary design, engineering, events and exhibitions management, sustainability, digital skills, interpretation and education.

The winning team will be asked to ‘come up with a great concept which sends a powerful message about modern Britain to an international audience’ says Christine Losecaat, creative director for the UK Pavilion Milan 2015.

Losecaat adds, ‘There are some incredibly exciting developments taking place in Britain’s agri-tech, life sciences and food and drink sectors: this is a fantastic opportunity to show them off to the world. We also hope the winning design will include a legacy – whether physical, experiential or virtual – which we can use for future events around the globe’.

Malcolm Reading Consultants says, ‘This Expo is decidedly focused on doing rather than seeing, on visitor participation in events and interacting with the pavilion.

‘So on this occasion it’s the exhibition content which should determine the design for the structure – the successful integration of the two elements is going to be a key compelling attraction.’

The deadline for expressions of interest is 19 February 2014. The shortlist for the second stage will be announced in early March and, following a public exhibition of the shortlisted entries, the winning team is expected to be announced in May.

For more information visit the competition website here.