Aegis has won the tender for the construction of all non-exhibition pavilions.
Only 449 days now remain. As Bresciaoggi’s Marco Bencivenga noted in his November 2013 article, it’s still a long way from the opening of Expo 2015 in Milan. While it will be an extraordinary event for the promotion of ‘Made in Italy’ it currently represents a unique business opportunity for thousands of entrepreneurs. Brescia is ready, “To understand the infrastructure that must be created for the Expo, just think about the construction of the pavilions for the 138 participating countries now worth 1.2 billion euro, which will become 3.5 with the finish-out of those spaces,” says Francesco Bettoni president of association: “Sistema Brescia X Expo 2015”.
And it’s not only that: ” The Statute of Expo 2015 is clear,” emphasizes Bettoni, “in addition to being built and furnished, all of the pavilions have to be managed for six months through a global service and, at the end of the exhibition, must be broken down and dismantled.” President Bettoni and director Piero Costa want Brescia companies to understand that this is a real opportunity, “our companies must learn to network, to build up a working group which can propose pavilions “turnkey” to buyers from every corner of the world.”
The commissions have already begun to roll in. One of Brescia’s top engineering and architecture firms, Aegis (Cantarelli and partners) has won the tender for the construction of all non-exhibition pavilions, along with four companies from other Italian provinces: Vicenza’s Maltauro, Imola’s Cefla, Florence’s Betaprogetti and Milan’s DIC.
The pool project coordinated by architect Eugenio Sagliocca involves the construction of 25 modular, wooden panels with a total area of 65,000 m². It’s a 50 million euro commission. Good results are also in the offing from the convention several months ago in Sirmione, which included the diplomatic missions of the countries to be represented at Expo 2015.
The challenge is time itself and, as the inexorable countdown continues, it will become clear who can keep the pace. Brescia was the first city in Italy to sign a 1 million euro contract with the Italian Pavilion.
Brescia’s Bettoni and Costa explain that the city will dedicate the first day of EXPO 2015 to the manufacturing sector and provide for business meetings between top Brescia companies and representatives from: Germany, France, England, Northern Europe, the United States, Canada, Brazil, China, India, the UAE and Russia. The second day will feature the food and wine sector, although not just on the tourist level but also presenting the latest in food research and technology with the aim of finding common ground where Italy can combine forces with other countries to improve food safety and quality.
Brescia will dedicate he third and fourth days of Expo to culture and tourism, including, of course the Mille Miglia, Brescia’s legendary car race in addition to the UNESCO site of Santa Giulia. The theme of the fifth day will be innovation and for 2015 Bettoni expects to showcase the emerging technology hub Nibiru Planet.
“... the Expo will also be a work opportunity for young people and a great boost for tourism here in Brescia,” emphasize Costa and Bettoni, confident in the capacity of accommodation facilities in the province to welcome “two or three hundred thousand visitors, as well as hosting some official delegations and several of the hundreds of heads of state who will be arriving in Italy for the occasion.”
