13th-19th April
Italcementi and Studio Miralles-Tagliabue EMBT have designed a special “seat” for Expo 2015 in i.design Effix, a very high performance cement mortar that offers unprecedented creative opportunities for architects.
A new seat with a lean and slender form has been developed with Expo 2015 in mind by Studio Miralles-Tagliabue EMBT in collaboration with Italcementi Group.
It is a work of art made of i.design EFFIX, the innovative very high performance mortar produced by Italcementi which is capable of combining the durability of a cementitious material with the workability of a plastic material.
It is possible to see a preview of the natural white prototypes of this work at the FuoriSalone in Milan from April 14 to 18, among the works on display at the ‘Cortile d’Onore’ of the University of Milan.
The work is called Minamora, a name which, in Italian, conjures up the auspicious concept of falling in love “M’innamoro”, but actually comes from the Japanese word “Minamo” which means water surfaces. The concept of Minamora, in fact, revolves around the image of Water, free form, or rather free from form, which is able to generate waves, react to the wind and interact with the surrounding world by creating its own flows. Another feature is the “suspension” between the two layers of the seat and the space that is created at the centre of the seat itself.
Thanks to the use of i.design EFFIX, it was possible to accompany the curvilinear and fluctuating shape of Minamora producing the two layers of the seat with a thickness of just 4-6 cm. And, as studio EMBT cares to emphasise “we deliberately designed and engineered an alternation of voids to give people who sit on these benches the feeling of being surrounded by water surfaces.”
i.design EFFIX provides added value to the architectural projects for interiors and exteriors in urban environments: facilities for design stores, private residences, corporate offices as well as public amenities. The material is easy to work, making it particularly suitable for the construction of small prestigious architectural elements, streamline, slender, and with smooth or worked finishes. Plasticity and performance that allow it to tackle difficult new challenges, such as the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2015. The biodynamic cement used for the outer rendering of the building is, in fact, a new formulation material and a direct “descendant” of i.design EFFIX.
INTERNI Energy for Creativity Debates
Energy for Creativity_Architecture
Energy for Creativity_Outdoor Lounge
Nemesi&Partners_Padiglione Italia
A dream for tomorrow_Italcementi Group
Folder photo exhibition – Palazzo Italia INTERNI
Lecture for INTERNI ENERGY FOR CREATIVITY Brochure IT
Photos
photo Mario Carrieri©
photo Fabio Toschi©
Interview with Benedetta Tagliabue
