For the 2015 World Expo in Milan, BREED Integrated Design, in collaboration with Anne Holtrop, designed the Bahrain pavilion. The pavilion is made up of 350 different pieces of white prefabricated concrete. The form of the walls is inspired by those found in the archaeological ruins of the Temple of Barba. Between the walls are small gardens (oases) designed by Anouk Vogel, which house approximately 200 fruit trees.

Structurally, the curved walls help make the pavilion earthquake-resistant, even though the elements are stacked dry. The pavilion was designed to be dismantled and transported to Bahrain, where it was reassembled in 2017. The concrete plates are produced with Carrara marble as fine and semi-fine additives. The beautiful white elements lost quite a lot of stiffness because of that. This is why we made extensive tests and production guidelines for the contractor. The stacking in combinations with the many cast-in installations demanded for many drawings and instructions of the contractor.

Awards:
Aga Khan Architecture Award 2019 (won)
Best Architecture and Landscape Milan Expo (silver)
Dutch Design Awards 2015 (nominee)

Year: 2014 – 2015
Architect: Anne Holtrop Studio
Location: Milan, Italy
Photography: Jeroen Musch, Iwan Baan