AOUMM - Save The Children Pavillion Expo Milan 2015 & Refugee School Lebanon 2016, Italy / Lebanon

CONCEPT Expo 2015 was the occasion to design a temporary exhibition pavilion that could be rebuilt elsewhere at the end of the international exhibition, and which interpreted the concepts of sustainability in an innovative way, not only in the choice of materials and construction methodologies and bioclimatic aspects, but above all taking care of the whole process from design to construction and reconstruction of the same for further purposes, reusing 90% of the original project, from the structure, to the roof, to the panels, to all the screws used during construction. This is because circular economy is inherent in the project itself. The Save the Children pavilion embodies an imaginary village, suggesting the countries in which the organisation operates. The aim is to recreate the same atmosphere - albeit on a smaller scale - of faraway places. The project is thus constituted in a model village, populated by seven small volumes, with pitched roofs equipped with skylight to allow natural ventilation, which have made it possible to have no air conditioning system. Distinct bodies, formally similar but different in size, are placed according to an open scheme, creating continuity with the external space. The small pavilions have the function of welcoming, accompanying, orientating and entertaining the guest. STRUCTURE Designing a structure that could perform more functions but above all takes into account the reuse of the same, was a fundamental aspect in the design. Moreover, for its construction we have chosen a company that had the same principles of the project: make use of renewable raw material, transformed with renewable energy. The company in charge of construction is a company that for its unique prerogatives has been awarded the Green Flag by Legambiente. As a matter of fact, Legnolandia uses only PEFC certified wood from the Friuli Venezia Giulia forests and uses only energy derived from renewable sources (Hydroelectric, Photovoltaic, Biomass) in its transformation plants. In particular, in this construction he used the 'exclusive' botanical species, particularly present in the nearby forests: the Silver Fir. A botanical species of many values recognized as the European ecological tree because it contributes to the formation of mixed forests and where the biodiversity of the species is guaranteed. In the complete process of transformation of Siver Fir trees, from extraction to processing, a test carried out by the University of Udine shows that only 0.91KG per MC of CO2, were produced. An activity thus fueled with low energy consumption and supported by renewable sources is the key to limit the release into the atmosphere of toxic gases from fossil fuels, while certified and preserved forests store the notorious carbon dioxide producing oxygen. White Fir wood, recognised as an excellent renewable raw material, was the protagonist during the design process and construction. THE PROCESS The process led to self-build the bamboo panels of the façade together with a group of unaccompanied immigrant children welcomed by Save The Children in Milan. The participated carpentry workshop has become a moment of research of constructive techniques and of educational activity for the study together with young people. The choice to create a constellation of small pavilions derives from a clear strategy from the beginning: the pavilion must be able to adapt to other needs and other places without imposing itself but in dialogue with the context. The collaboration with Save The Children Onlus Italy and the AOUMM bring and Catalytic Action (no-profit) brought the project to Lebanon within a Syrian refugee camp to be re-adapted as a school for refugee children. The flexibility given by the design allowed to redistribute the pavilions in a new configuration adapting itself to the limited context of the field. The type section designed to allow spaces of about 25 square meters each and a large classroom of 81 square meters are today classrooms for 300 pupils. The construction system will still allow the school to be rebuilt elsewhere at the end of the war. INNOVATION NOT ALWAYS LIES IN THE PATENT OR IN THE TECHNOLOGIES USED BUT IN THE APPROACH AND IN THE PROCESS.