The Austrian Pavilion, Naturally Yours designed by Penda and Alex Daxböck won first runner-up in the international design competition for the Milan Expo 2015, which is themed ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.’
Courtesy of penda
‘Naturally Yours’ is basically infrastructure for the harvesting process. The structure sustains planting food that, in turn, would be served at the restaurant the pavilion houses. It houses a ramp that takes you through the space and simultaneously through the growing and harvesting process. The ramp, then, leads to the restaurant, so the procession through the space is also the procession through the grow-harvest-eat process.
Courtesy of penda
The pavilion of ‘Naturally Yours’ faces the temporal aspect of nature, but also the temporal flow of people. The modular structural system creates the 3.6-meter grid which the modules are based. The pavilion’s modularity speaks to its temporal aspect by allowing the members to adapt to the occupancy and also be reused if need be.
As much as the building is meant for the people, the building also houses the plants. So, the designers have accounted for the harvesting process keeping in mind seasonal change.
Courtesy of penda
The space is a sculptural building. It is meant to be occupied, but also to be a symbol. The façade manifestly celebrates the plants and showcases them to the people.
It is contextual, because it is a reflection of current time and also of the culture, for Austria serves the most local and organic food in shops and food markets. The pavilion will basically be where the seeds are planted and the food is grown, harvest, then eaten.
Courtesy of penda
By Aiysha Alsane
