It seems to wave delicately amidst the boughs and foliage of the surrounding trees. The Alis meeting pod installed in the Giardino delle Vergini at the Arsenale in Venice, in the context of the 17th International Architecture Exhibition, suggests a floral figure and points to the possibility of combining avant-garde technology with innovative construction processes.
Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and produced by Tecno Spa, Alis sets out to offer an instant multifunctional meeting room equipped with all the tools needed to boost cooperation and teamwork. A temporary module that can be installed indoors or outdoors, for offices, retail areas, stations and airports. Ready to be customized in relation to the context, the occasion and the needs of its users.
Through its sinuous petals running along the ceiling and the walls of a glass cube with a height of almost 6 meters per side, it permits physical encounters, and can be very rapidly connected to the web without a sense of separation from the surroundings, thanks to the transparency that allows light to enter. Made with 3D printers and CNC milling machines, the outer structure is composed of modular portions that allow the pod to be easily knocked down, transported, reutilized, reconfigured and adapted to any type of location.
Every construction part has been created through circular design, guaranteeing a long life span and minimum waste, ready for recycling when decommissioned. A flexible response to the future of work, seen as a dynamic activity that calls for moments of sharing, offering a recognizable form and hyper-technological outfitting. Inside Alis, visitors can see the ‘Unicorn Island’ master plan by Zaha Hadid Architects, now under construction in Chengdu, China, in response to this year’s theme for Padiglione Italia, ‘Resilient Communities,’ curated by Alessandro Melis.
Photo © Alessandra Chemollo
