White Concrete in Kingdom of Bahrain's Pavilion

"Archaeologies of Green".

Concept

Inspired by the archaeology of ancient Bahrain and its agricultural landscape, the national pavilion of the Kingdom of Bahrain presents the country's distinct heritage while addressing the challenges associated with food security, water provision and arable land.

Designed as a continuous landscape of fruit gardens that each contain a dominant fruit tree that is native to Bahrain, the gardens are intersected by a series of closed spaces that contain in turn a reception area, exhibition spaces and a café serving local Bahraini food. The spaces all overlook and frame the gardens, which form the main exhibition component of the pavilion and recount the rich agrarian heritage of the Islands.

The Pavilion, aptly named Archaeologies of Green, is an unprecedented examination of the relationship between Bahraini culture, ancient heritage and agriculture. Both artistic and scientific, the Pavilion weaves the different elements together –built out of white prefabricated concrete panels, which interconnect, visitors obtain a unique outlook on the country's archaeology through its seams. The gardens are supplemented by an exhibition of archaeological objects from the ancient Dilmun and Tylos eras that refer to the agricultural practices of that era as well as to the many myths surrounding the Islands in addition to a short film which reflects on the contemporary agricultural landscape of Bahrain.

Since the ancient civilization of Dilmun, Bahrain has boasted a rich and unique agrarian history. This deep-rooted heritage is underpinned by the plentiful sweet water springs which exist in this otherwise arid land. The Kingdom of Bahrain’s pavilion at the Milan Expo 2015 presents an interpretation of the relationships that tie together the country’s agrarian heritage and culture. The centerpiece of the pavilion pays homage to this rich heritage, which consists of 10 distinct fruit gardens, each of which will bear their fruit at different times during the six-month long Expo. The pavilion will also showcase historic artefacts that date back thousands of years, each of which is related to the deep-rooted agrarian traditions and the legends that surrounded Bahrain as the location of the Garden of Eden and the Land of One Million Palms.

The Pavilion

Built out of white prefabricated concrete panels, the pavilion will be moved to Bahrain at the end of the Expo and rebuilt to serve as a botanical garden. The prefabricated components of the buildings, visible through the seams that connect them to one another, refer to the inherent shapes found in the archaeology of Bahrain.