Expo 2020: Azerbaijan Pavilion Graphics
These days, after being postponed because of the pandemic,Expo 2020 is finally taking place in Dubai. In the last year I've had the pleasure to collaborate with the italian design&architecture studio Simmetrico (check them out!) to design all the graphics and illustration for the Azerbaijan pavilion.
The project took more than a year, it has been super cool, challenging and interesting since I had the opportunity to work with new technologies - for instance: plexiglass laser engraving and pre-spaced adhesives - and huge surfaces like the Pavilion facade.
Art Direction / Design / Architecture: Simmetrico
Illustration & Graphics: Andrea Minini
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Intro
Expo 2020 overall concept is "connecting minds, creating the future"
It signals our global need to work together to inspire future generations and to develop partnerships across sectors, organisations, and geographies to address the many needs of our fast changing world. it is divided into 3 main district: sustainability, mobility and opportunity. In short, these are the main guildelines of the event.
Azerbaijan Pavilion is located in the "sustainability" area. The main concept of the pavilion is "seeds for the future": only by investing in the future now can people secure a sustainable tomorrow. The leaf-shaped roof symbolises an endless energy process.
My task was to tell the traditional azerbaijani elements - from nature, history, music, architecture - in a very modern and minimal graphic language which was, at the same time, respectful of the centuries old story of Azerbaijan.
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Facade(s)
The huge glass frontal facade is, in total, 47meters wide. My illustrations has been realized in pre-spaced graphics. The lines are consistent with the shape of the big wooded tree in the middle, and they seem to radiate directly from it, conveying a mix of icons and illustrations from the traditional and modern Azerbaijan: from the Ateshgah temple to the Flame Towers in Baku.
Frontal facade
Iconic Azerbaijan buildings
Rear facade
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River
Inside the pavilion's first floor a resin river flows throughout the whole exhibition.
Like a blue carpet, the river drives the visitors on a graphic path that starts with typical natural elements - i.e. dragonflies, sturgeons, eagles, saffron flowers etc... - and ends with symbols from the tradition: buthas, typical musical instruments, carpet patterns and a real score from azerbaijan traditional music.
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Totems
Along the rear internal perimeter of the pavilion, there is a large installation of totems that tell the story of Azerbaijan and its possible future. Part of these totems is interactive, another one is static.
The static part, which laser engraved, is dedicated to the "explanation" of the "seeds for the future" concept: a child plants a seed and takes care of it. The child and the plant grow up together, becoming a man and a big tree that recalls the main wooden tree in the center of the pavilion.
On the opposite side, close to the stairs to the basement, another small group of totems. The subject here is a hand carries a seed that reminds the Khari Bulbul, the national flower of Azerbaijan.
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Basement
My task for the basement was- basically - to decorate the lounge and bar walls and collaborate on the creation of a big mandala lamp.
The concept behind the wallpaper forest illustration is the same used for the totem. In this case we have a girl growing together with the forest.