Idee in gara per il padiglione italiano all'Expo Shanghai 2010. Il futuro delle città veste made in Italy

In 2008 a competition was launched to select a design for the Italian Pavilion at the Universal Exposition in Shanghai. Many outstanding and exceptional proposals were submitted by designers who rose to the challenge of creating a pavilion worthy of Italy's commitment to improve the quality of life in cities and the urban environment. This book is our homage to those designers. The participants were asked to design a building in line with the requirements of the Expo, but which also represented the traditional culture and values of Italy, in particular Italian architecture and the creativity and innovation implemented by Italian companies. If possible, the design was also intended to be a homage to the culture of the host country, China. The wide range of very different yet superb designs attests to the energy a nd drive behind this sector of excellence showcased by Italy in Shanghai. By translating the competition documentation into English and Chinese, our intention is to disseminate and promote the skills, talent and unique work of Italian professionals all around the world and especially China. In all their designs, participating architects emphasized the importance of sustainable development in the new technological context of metropolitan cities. Many designers proposed innovative, eco-compatible solutions that took into account the increasing problems of safety and accessibility as well as the multiethnic nature of cities. Many designers focused on the need for the cities of the future to respect our historical heritage and the environment. All the designs developed topics believed to be crucial and representative of the main theme of the Expo, "Better City, Better Life". As Commissioner General of Italy for Expo 2010 Shanghai, I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks and appreciation to Professor Giampaolo Imbrighi and his collaborators who designed and built a pavilion instantly recognised as a symbol of Italian know-how, a concrete example of Italy's architectural tradition that has once again fired the imagination of visitors.