Successful concert at the Breathe.Austria EXPO pavilion in Milan
As the fourth and final part of the concert series of the BREATHE AUT initiative, Viennese instrumental techno band Elektro Guzzi played in the Austrian EXPO pavilion in summery Milan.
The nearly 32 degrees in the Lombardic capital were hardly noticeable in the well-tempered Breathe.Austria pavilion. This was thanks to the Austrian forest, constructed from 350 different forest trees, perennials and 180m2 of moss.
With their internationally acclaimed concept, project leader Dr. Rudolf Ruzicka and team Breathe.Austria wanted to provide a counterpoint to the hustle and bustle on the Disney-like EXPO grounds. For many, the pavilion was a real “place to breathe,” inviting visitors to stay and relax. According to a vote among all 140 participating countries, the Austrian pavilion even was the most beautiful of this year’s EXPO.
Good times in the green oasis
So when it was time for the final concert of the BREATHE AUT concert series, large crowds gathered in the pavilion to hear Elektro Guzzi’s one-hour set in a lively atmosphere. Although many were surprised by this kind of performance in a forest, the band’s guitar, bass and drum sounds took visitors by storm, especially those blessed with Italian temperaments. The forest setting provided the perfect backdrop for the BREATHE AUT initiative’s intention to establish a rare, yet almost tangible connection between nature and innovative Austrian music. “Techno in the forest, what an amazing idea. It was very nice to be there,” said Barbara Lazzaroni, a visitor and EXPO associate.
Project manager Helmut Döller also shares his excitement about the concert series that “made a wonderful connection between Austria and Italy”. “A great event! It was so exciting to see people react to the performance. The interaction between band and visitors on the spur of the moment also made me see the pavilion from an entirely new perspective.”
Guests were moreover treated to exquisite dishes, inspired by the forest and prepared by Koch.campus, an initiative of Austrian top chefs, under the supervision of chefs Thorsten Probost and Thomas Dorfer.
Austrian nature as a role model
The Austrian pavilion and the country’s nature are also a prime example when it comes to innovation and solutions to pending climate issues for our planet’s ever-growing urban areas: Dye-sensitised solar cells on the rooftop, using a new glass-technology based on the prinicple of photosynthesis, cover almost all of the pavilion’s power demand. Furthermore, the vegetation cools the pavilion without the use of energy. Wades of cool mist are blown over the leafy surfaces by numerious little fans, cooling the whole pavilion – a welcome refreshment for already more than 600,000 visitors, who thus experienced Austria’s number one export commodity at first hand.
More articles and multimedia content are available on the project’s platform www.breathe-aut.com, featuring brilliant creative minds from the fields of music, culinary art, nature and design.