Ing. Massimo Maffeis - Maffeis Engineering SpA
Structural design for tensile structures - Works description

Abstract

Just having started on May 1st, this year the world Expo is hosted for a second time in Italy, in the city of Milan. Based in northern Italy and operating all over the world, the team of Maffeis Engineering is proud that this showcase will bring Italian science, crafts and culture to an international audience. Even more our team is happy and proud that, for another time in the history of Maffeis Engineering as well as in the history of world Expos, we have been participating with our engineering skills in the development of main structures for the Expo exhibition area. Consecutive to the last Expos in Hannover and Shanghai, known clients as well as new Architects and construction companies have invited Maffeis Engineering to provide design development and engineering services for their extraordinary structures. From consulting renowned architects in their design development for their creative Expo structures, throughout structural analysis, up to executive workshop drawings, all engineering challenges of the structures could be solved even under tough time restrains. The full bandwidth of our skills and resources successfully supported structures using membrane materials such as PVC, ETFE and of course steel and aluminum for geometrical complex structures. Our engineering services are in particular demonstrated by the design and construction for : - Cardo and Decumano roof of the pedestrian walkway The design of the exposition site recalls the ancient Roman urban planning ideal: two intersecting axes, the Decumano and the Cardo. The Decumano accommodates the international pavilions, while the Cardo hosts other exhibition buildings. - Mexican Pavilion The frame is inspired by the shape of corn leaves. This vegetable can be considered as the essential food that represents a cultural identity for Mexicans. There are 19 leaves along the perimeter of the building, all different from each other, with variable height, from 12 to 17 meters. - Kuwait Pavilion The architecture of the pavilion is inspired by the typical sailboat from Kuwait, belonging to traditional boats called “Dhow”, still in use in the Arabic Gulf, and by the greenhouse shapes, with some references on the agriculture system of Kuwait The Pavilion covers app. 2.790 square meters and is situated at the north of Decumano. - German Pavilion The German pavilion concept of stylized fields and meadows, is characterized by close interaction between spatial and content presentation. The “Fields of Ideas” are reflected in the architecture in the form of a gently rising landscape level.