All Ready for Expo Milano 2015

Discovering the Clusters, the novel protagonists of this Universal Exhibition

Among the most innovative elements of the much anticipated Expo Milan 2015, being held from May to October, we find the Clusters.
These are spaces that, overcoming the traditional geographically-based grouping of the Joint Pavilions of previous Expos, unite under the same architectural project countries that all produce the same foodstuff or are interested in developing a shared theme that represents them.
Nine in all: six dedicated to food production (Coffee, Cocoa, Rice, Spices, Fruit and Vegetables, Cereals and Root Vegetables) and three with specific food-related themes (Bio-Mediterranean, Agriculture and Nutrition in Arid Areas, and Islands, Sea and Food).
1. Coffee. Coffee in the Forest.
The itinerary, dominated by vegetation, offers an opportunity to exhibit and taste the coffee with its many features: history, quality, production and culture.
The participating countries are: Guatemala, Uganda, Kenya, Yemen, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Burundi, Rwanda, El Salvador.
2. Rice. Growth Reflections: the Cluster looks like an out-of-scale paddy field, in which the textures of the fields are recognisable, as are the colours, scents and shadows that accompany the growth of rice and the passage of time between the Pavilions.
The countries are: Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Laos, Bangladesh, Myanmar.
3. Cocoa. Unfolding Flavour: weeds and invasive vegetation emerges vehemently from the ground of the tropical environments of the Cocoa plantations, colonising determinedly the space between the buildings.
The countries are: Gabon, Cameroon, Ghana, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cuba, Ivory Coast.
4. Spices. Spice Voyage: the experiential zones that accommodate tasting areas, installations, technology and events tell us about how different cultures grow, prepare and use spices in the kitchen, in medicine and in socio-cultural rituals.
The countries are: Tanzania, Vanuatu, Afghanistan, Brunei.
5. Fruit and vegetables. United Support. Vegetables, fruit trees and partial crops are used to define a composite and surprising landscape that can offer visitors memories of farming and the emotions of the garden.
The countries are: Kyrgyzstan, Guinea, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Benin, Uzbekistan, Equatorial Guinea.
6. Cereals and Root Vegetables. The Valley is a learning experience based on the senses and communication.
Visitors can sample the various products derived from cooking cereals and tubers. The countries are: Togo, Bolivia, Congo Brazzaville, Mozambique, Haiti, Zimbabwe.
7. Bio-Mediterranean. The White Dream is inspired by the Mediterranean city. Colours, flavours and smells create a unique cultural experience that incorporates the elements of the Mediterranean culture and spirit.
The countries are: Montenegro, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Serbia, San Marino, Greece, Albania, Lebanon, Libya, Malta.
8. Agriculture and Nutrition in Arid Areas. The sandstorm in the desert is the image on which the concept of the Cluster is based and is symbolic of the difficulties of living and exploiting the land in arid areas where, nevertheless, there are hidden vital resources.
The countries are: Somalia, Mauritania, Senegal, Palestinian National Authority, Eritrea.
9. Islands, Sea, Food. Bamboo Forest. It gives the impression of actually being in the water, enjoying a full sensory experience, observing the mysterious beauty of the islands and being in contact with their equally fascinating and fragile biodiversity.
The countries are: Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde, Maldives, Union of the Comoros.