Cosentino Group cooperates with the Spain Pavilion in Expo Milano 2015

This cooperation has come about through the agreement reached with Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), the public body responsible for managing Spain’s presence in Universal and International Expositions. This makes the Almeria-based multinational a key collaborating company of the Spanish proposal for this year’s Universal Expo, through collaborating in the construction of the Spain Pavilion, designed by b720 Fermín Vázquez’s studio.

This year it is Milan’s turn, after the 2010 Expo held in Shanghai. From 1 May up to 31 October, it is hosting one of this year’s most important events. 144 countries are taking part this year, and over 20 million people are expected to visit the Universal Expo. It is estimated that the Spanish Pavilion will receive around 2.2 million visitors in total, about 12,000 visitors a day.

With the official slogan of Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life, Expo Milano 2015 wants to be the first universal exposition to be remembered not only because of its architecture and activities, but also because of its input towards debate and education regarding nutrition, food and global resources.  The Spanish proposal is based around the sloganThe language of flavour, which is projected around two basic concepts: Tradition and Innovation.

Cosentino Group currently distributes its products in over 80 countries, with its own assets in 26 of these countries. Cosentino is committed towards this global impact event and shares the core values and thematic focal points of the Expo and also of Spain’s proposal:  Food, cuisine, efficiency in resources, design and technological innovation are also basic signatures of the Almeria-based company’s activity.

Dekton, versatility and many uses for architecture
The Spain Pavilion designed by b720 Fermin Vázquez studio, wishes to be a standard-bearer for excellence in current Spanish architecture.  With a surface area of over 3,000 m2, the building is inspired by a twin unit greenhouse with a portico shape structure. Its geometry is clear and contained, a merger of the two basic elements to be projected: tradition and innovation. This duality is also  shown in the main spaces of the building: the auditorium or multi-purpose room, the exhibition area, vegetable garden, a restaurant, two bars, the store and workshops.

Consentino’s materials, mainly Dekton ultra compact surface, will be present within this building. The Spanish company has handed over almost 1,000m2 of this innovative material for different uses and in different measures and finishes, as well as basins manufactured with the quartz surface Silestone®. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Silestone was already used intensively in the 1992 Seville Universal Expo, in pavilions such as the ONCE, Arab Emirates or Andalusia pavilions.

Cosentino applies to the Spain Pavilion its latest technological innovation, a pioneering architecture and decorative material which shows all its properties in the Pavilion, and also its versatile and diverse applications. Visitors will be able to see Dekton on the floors of the public space, the exhibition area, multi-purpose room, vegetable garden, and in the workshops and restoration areas. It is also applied on the counter of the tapas bar,  of the auditorium bar and VIP area bar, and also on the staircase which provides access to the restaurant on the second floor. (More information on the attached technical file).

The tomato genome, one of the main attractions of the Spain Pavilion
One of the most attractive and innovative interior design proposals to be found in the Pavilion is the recreation of the tomato genome in the Dekton slabs which have been applied as flooring in the public exhibition area and space on the ground floor.

Within the context of the The language of flavour slogan, Fermín Vázquez architects studio came up with the idea of recreating the tomato genome – one of the most important recent steps taken in the field of biotechnology and scientific research. The tomato genome was sequenced for the first time in 2012, and this was a major step forward in improving the variety of crops and for the future of agriculture.

The b720 studio was strongly committed to Dekton as the best ally in order to achieve this stunning design; the Dekton tables in 2 cm Zenith colour were personalized using an inkjet printer with the DNA sequence marked in letters, with the shape of a tomato drawn on a scale of grey colours. This is possible because Dekton allows a very high level of customisation in design, and is thus the perfect ally for designers and architects all over the world. The material can be printed, using the design chosen by the professional, using an advanced inkjet technology unique in the stone industry.

* For further inforamtion: www.cosentino.com