Finmeccanica Pavilion

For us – at Canobbio Textile – this was a project of international importance carried out for a prestigious group like Finmeccanica.

“The main Italian industrial group operating worldwide in the aerospace, defence and security industries, took part in the 45th Farnborough International Air Show with a futuristic pavilion.

The oval-shaped structure measures 1000 m2 with another 300 m2 on the upper floor. The shape of the pavilion follows curved lines both in plan and cross-sectional view, creating a unitary, smooth and rounded image all around. The pressurised cushion cover made of double layer PVC membrane, white inside and transparent outside confer that appearance to the pavilion. The softly sculpted shape, with a skin made of transparent bubbles, reflects the sky and the clouds, creating a constantly changing exterior that draws the visitor’s interest. This temporary pavilion represents a connection between the scaffolding and permanent buildings in the most modern and contemporary manner possible: the pavilion has no internal columns, it is geometrically demanding, it can be disassembled and used several times. In plan and cross-sectional view, the pavilion is oval-shaped, with horizontal gutter, and folded facade sections. The facade was designed and built with a row of 48 vertical membrane cushions on a vertical and horizontal truss structure. The cushions are connected to a vertical slidable section. Like the roof cushions, all horizontal connections of the facade cushions are secured with aluminium barrel sections. Although it may seem like an empty geometry, the facade is instead made up of pressurised cushions: this feeling derives from the transparent outer membrane, which allows to view the inner layer of the cushion”.