CLIENT: Ministry of Trade and Industry of Russia (Minpromtorg)
DESIGN: SPEECH Architectural Office, Simpateka Entertainment Group, Inventure
FABRICATION: Crocus Group
PHOTOS: Mi Ilya Ivanov/SPEECH & Simpatekachele Nastasi
The theme behind the Russia Pavilion is “Creative Mind: Driving the Future.” Situated in the Mobility District, it embodies the image that Sergei Tchoban, the architect of the project, set out to convey in the building’s design: the idea of constant movement as the prerequisite for unstoppable progressive development, creation, and progress. The pavilion is in the form of two hemispheres, one inside the other. The two hemispheres are domes embodying the image of Planet Russia and symbolizing wholeness and universality.
According to Tchoban, the Russia Pavilion set out to tackle several very important objectives. First, to propose a spectacular volume whose architecture would express the theme of this section of the exhibition and simultaneously contain associations with Russia as a great country. One such association is the way the small domed volume sits inside the larger one. While undeniably modern and emphatically dynamic, the form also resembles traditional Russian matryoshka dolls. Second, the pavilion sought to give visitors the most comfortable possible conditions — not just when viewing the exhibition, but also when waiting to do so. The space under the lower dome serves as a convenient and capacious “ante-area” that is well protected from the sun and packed with a variety of public functions.
The focal point of the entire pavilion experience is the immersive multimedia performance. The human brain is the most complex phenomenon in the known universe. It is a real challenge to briefly describe it in a few minutes, summarizing the basic knowledge in the field of neuroscience that scientists have accumulated up to this moment in an easy-to-understand and popular but strictly science-based form. Still, in just 6 minutes, the immersive multimedia performance tells how amazingly complex and rich in capabilities this tool is, underscoring the concept that the brain is the main resource for the development of humankind. The show focuses on the five most unique aspects of the human brain: the learning mind, the creative mind, the emotional mind, the social mind, and the cultural mind. Meanwhile, the Mechanics of Wonder exposition is a continuous narrative using simple, easy-to-understand language and infographics. The narrative uses a recognizable design and a friendly tone that makes it accessible to everyone, regardless of country, age, social status, or cultural characteristics.
