Caritas Pavilion / Piuarch

Architects: Piuarch
Area: 900 m²
Year: 2015
Photographs: Andrea Martiradonna
Manufacturers: Serge Ferrari
MEP: ESA Engineering
Structural Design: FV Progetti
Landscape Design: Cornelius Gavril
Architect-in-Charge: Miguel Pallares
Landscape Design: Cornelius Gavril
City: Milan
Country: Italy

The Caritas Pavilion, designed by Piuarch for Expo 2015 in Milan, conveys the message “Divide to multiply. Break the bread,” symbolizing wealth sharing. Named Edicola, it features five interconnected structures resembling a fragmented cube, unified by a simple, eco-friendly design with pretensioned plastic mesh that allows natural ventilation and lighting. The pavilion is versatile and easily dismantled, making it suitable for various uses like schools or counseling centers. Strategically located along the Decumano, it offers diverse visitor experiences focused on sharing, highlighted by the central artwork Energia by Wolf Vostell, which critiques consumerism by contrasting a Cadillac filled with war weapons and surrounded by bread.

Designed for Expo 2015 in Milan, the Caritas Pavilion embodies the message “Divide to multiply. Break the bread,” representing the concept of sharing wealth. Known as Edicola, the pavilion resembles a fragmented cube, reflecting the idea of creating wealth through sharing in architectural form. Its design emphasizes simplicity, with a straightforward and unadorned aesthetic.

The project consists of five structures that are similar in form but vary in size and function. They are positioned on the ground and connected at their vertices, referencing Edicola’s typical square floor plan. Uniformity is achieved through consistent structural profiles, with each structure sharing the same external dimensions, color, and materials.

The Edicola’s simple structure makes it highly eco-sustainable. Its exterior is made of pretensioned plastic mesh, allowing natural airflow and light, eliminating the need for air conditioning and minimizing energy use. The design also ensures that the pavilion can be easily dismantled and reassembled elsewhere. Its adaptable shape, structure, and size make it suitable for various uses, such as a school, a counseling center for the disadvantaged, or a facility providing basic life support to those in need.

The Caritas Pavilion, strategically located along the Decumano at the Expo 2015 site, features a 200 m² outdoor paved area, a 150 m² covered space divided into multiple rooms, and a 550 m² green area. It offers five distinct experiences, each connecting visitors to the theme “divide to multiply” and the mission of Caritas. As visitors move through the five interconnected “rooms,” they converge around a central space showcasing the main attraction, Energia, a 1973 artwork by German artist Wolf Vostell. This powerful installation features a Cadillac loaded with war weapons surrounded by various types of bread, critiquing consumer society by contrasting symbols of consumerism and destruction with humanity’s fundamental need for bread.