Satisfying the hunger

HELD EVERY FIVE years, the World Expo is the third-largest global event after the Olympic Games and the World Cup. 

Hosted in 2010 by Shanghai, China’s largest city in terms of population, the Expo broke the records for the largest site – 5.28 square kilometres – and the highest number of participating countries – 246. By the end of the fair, more than 73 million people had visited.

This year, it’s Italy’s turn to host the six-month extravaganza and with the theme of “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”, is the first to examine nutrition and food. The Milano Expo is taking place northwest of Milan in Rho and Pero, and its 1.1 million square metres are expected to welcome more than 20 million visitors. Running through October, the Milano Expo is considerably smaller in both spread and numbers than China due to size and space constraints, it is nonetheless hosting more than 140 countries.

The “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life” theme is designed to provide an opportunity to reflect upon, and seek solutions to, the contradictions of this world. Records show that between 2010 and 2012, approximately 870 million people were undernourished while some 2.8 million deaths could be put down to diseases related to obesity or overweight. In addition, about 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted every year. This platform thus aims to stimulate each country’s creativity and promote innovation for a sustainable future.

Strolling around the expo is a dream. Moving from one pavilion to another requires little effort and visitors are protected from the vagaries of the weather by a giant shade structure shaped to resemble flower petals.

Passing through the south gate, we walk straight to the Italian Pavilion, a white sculpture-like building designed like the “branched” outer envelope with woven lines that create a play of light and shadow. Interestingly, the building uses photovoltaic glass for the roof and photocatalytic concrete in the outer envelope. This captures pollution in the air and transforms it into inert salts thus reducing smog levels.

Themed as a “Nursery for New Energies”, the Italian pavilion tells the story of the four Italian “powers”: expertise, beauty, challenge, and the future.

In the “power of expertise” room, we listen to the stories of people from 21 regions, who present their professional and artistic skills as well as how they found success by thinking in business terms. They include Lorenzo Cogo, the youngest Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur, Giuseppe Pedroni whose family has been producing the finest vinegars since 1862, marine biologist Carmelo Fanizza and Francesca Petrini, who hails from a family of oil producers.

The “power of beauty” showcases landscapes and architectural masterpieces mirrored in kaleidoscopic designs, which convey the impression of floating in infinite beauty. 

At the “power of the challenge”, we learn about farms, agri-food, and craftspeople, while in the “power of the future” room, we hear 21 stories of craftspeople who are using their ingenuity in the most challenging of circumstances. Among the ideas showcased are hydrogen for automotives, making Pecorino cheese at a reasonable price, and growing basil under the sea. 

Also part of the host country’s pavilion is the Tree of Life, a 37-metre-high steel and wood structure in the middle of a lake, which serves as the theatre for interactive performances.

A short walk away is the Israeli Pavilion and its “vertical garden”, a 70x12-metre wall fully decorated with living plants such as rice, wheat and corn. On the theme “The Fields of Tomorrow”, it showcases how Israeli soil-based technology for water conservation and plant nutrition will change the face of city landscaping forever.

Inside, the first room screens 3D movies and multi-directional effects illustrating the history of agriculture in Israel from its beginnings to the present day, while in a second room, a tapestry of bright LEDs dance in every direction.

Also nearby is the German Pavilion. Modelled on the concept “Field of Ideas”, it has earned praise for its technological slant. Visitors are given a “seedboard” at the entrance to allow them to navigate exhibits and explore additional media information.

Inside, a thematic exhibition showcases the different sources of nutrition – soil, water, climate and biodiversity – all the way to food production and consumption in the urban world. Before leaving the pavilion, we immerse ourselves in the German world of nutrition from the viewpoint of two bees accompanied by a rousing and dynamic show by a guitarist and a beat-boxer. The flight of the bees takes the visitors over fields and fruit meadows, into the city and past places and people involved in the production and distribution of food.

Over on the main street, the United Arab Emirates Pavilion boasts the theme “Food for Thought – Shaping and Sharing the Future.” The pathway leads through a series of interactive displays framed by wavy concrete walls derived from a scan taken in the desert.

The state-of-the-art auditorium presents an 8-minute movie, “Family Tree”, which brings the story of the Emirates to life. Before leaving for a green oasis, we study a special exhibit that celebrates Dubai as the host city for the 2020 Expo.

The Thai Pavilion reflects the country’s agriculture history with an architectural design resembling the “ngob”, the traditional hat worn by farmers. The design has impressed visitors, with the Italian media naming it one of the top five most beautiful buildings.

On the theme “Nourishing and Delighting the World”, the first room is named “Golden Land” and reflects the country’s abundant resources through a 3D Hologram with 360-degree video projection. In the “Kitchen to the World”, a special projection technique portrays Thailand’s state-of-the-art production line with safe food processing and packaging technology. The next room is “King of Agriculture” and presents His Majesty the King’s royal development projects.

Ready-to-eat Thai foods, drinks and desserts are also up for grabs and include massaman curry with rice, pad Thai, coconut ice cream and sticky rice with mango. Visitors can also enjoy live shows including Thai boxing and percussion.

 

On the Web:

www.Expo2015.org