Originally designed to represent Slovenia’s mountain silhouette and country’s diversity for the EXPO 2015 in Milan, the reconstructed pavilion now serves as a “Door to the Pomurje Region” in Murska Sobota. The Expano pavilion is comprised of four main complexes that differ according to their purpose and content. You have the exhibition area (insight into the Pomurje experience), TIC (info center), bar (taste of the best what the Pomurje culinary world has to offer) and shop for products of Pomurje.
With Italy being the third largest investor, second most important trade partner, and biggest source market of tourists in Slovenia, representing the country well at the Expo 2015 convention in Milan was of great importance. An equally complex and dynamic timber construction was chosen for this purpose, with its angular appearance reminiscent of the Slovenian mountain landscape and its terrain diversity, landscape design as a reminder of cultivated fields whitel the wooden façade is reminiscent of leaves’ surface and structure.
While being rebuild in Murska Sobota the pavilion kept its attractive exterior appearance. The interior was adjusted due the new use of the building and demands for more capacity. The vast new location by the lake emphasizes the dynamic of the building even more – the pavilion takes different shapes depending of the viewer’s standpoint due to its playful design.
The timber skeleton construction is supplemented by loadbearing elements made of cross-laminated timber. The use of wood for the facade and the structural system emphasizes Slovenia’s identity as one of the most forested countries in Europe. At the same time, the pavilion was designed in a way that allowed for a reconstruction in another place. This made it possible to save money for its reconstruction in the year of 2018, which only required minimal adjustments. The main difference of course is that the pavilion in Italy was a temporary installation while in Murska Sobota it is intended as a permanent strucuture that will hopefully serve the city for a long time. The pavilion now promotes attractions, activity areas and produce of the Prekmurje Region It is becoming a new tourist point in symbiosis with the new landscape design around the lake.
