ABDR designs Italy Pavilion at Expo Astana 2017 in Kazakhstan

The Italy Pavilion at Expo Astana 2017, commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Development, and ICE-Agency, was designed by ABDR Architetti Associati, known for Rome Tiburtina high-speed station and Florence Opera House. Located within Astana's new 174-hectare exhibition district masterplanned by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the pavilion spans about 900 square meters. Architect Desideri explained the concept as 'Ingenuity and history: resources for sustainable energy,' using augmented reality projections to show Italy's integration of energy with natural resources, creativity, and history. The layout features slight elevation changes and 'piazzas' alternating virtual images and real objects. Open until September 10, 2017, the pavilion includes interactive totems and four main rooms with looping visual installations. Multimedia content director Stanislao Cantono di Ceva described it as offering a unique experience among Expo pavilions. The exhibition highlights Italy's natural energy sources (wind, water, thermal, fossil) and key historical figures like Alessandro Volta, Antonio Panicati, Enrico Fermi, and Leonardo da Vinci, with a piazza named after da Vinci. The pavilion hosts conferences and B2B meetings, culminating on September 5 with the Italian National Day promoted by ENI.