Malaysia Pavilion

The theme of Expo Milano 2015 is a humble theme that is intrinsic in its respect for Mother Earth, one cognisant of the unsustainable consumption of the world’s resources in its demand for food, seeking a redress to ensure that the ability of future generations to feed themselves will not be compromised.

This powerful statement underpins the design of the Malaysian Pavilion, designed by Hijjas Architects + Planners.

As the country’s primary resource, rainforest plays an important role in the lives of all Malaysians. The use of a broad variety of rainforest seeds date back hundreds of years, and to this day is prepared and served in innumerable recipes that natively reflect the gastronomically diverse backgrounds of Malaysia’s multi-ethnic diaspora.

Conceptually, the building seed form expresses the food source of the nation derived from the rainforest seeds to celebrate the rainforest seeds and its rich biodiversity. The formation of the four seeds takes us through a kaleidoscope journey of Malaysia with each seed encompassing visitors with different experience and level of engagement at the same time bring to bear our attention to the symbiotic relationship we have with the rainforest.

The architectural design incorporates green and sustainable features in line with the sustainability theme of the Expo. The external structure of the seeds are constructed with “Glulam” or glued laminated timber, an innovative structural timber made of local sustainable material. The choice of Glulam, combined with the structurally complex form of Malaysia Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 is a deliberate effort to showcase Malaysia’s capabilities in both design and innovative materials.

Towards a Sustainable Food Ecosystem, Malaysia Pavilion, Expo Milano 2015
Architects: Hijjas Architects + Planners
Project team: Serina Hijjas, Ahmad Shuhemi, Chiun Wee Lim, Akmal Bokhari, Atishay Jain, Tengku Inda Syazwi, Nazirul Safry
Area: 2,047 sqm
Completion: 2015