LAKE ARENA – ALBERO DELLA VITA
EXPO 2015 – Milan, Italy / 2015
The main attraction of the Cardo and Decumano streets system is the Lake Arena, a water pond surrounded by approximately 3.000 seats distributed around an open space of 28.000 m² which can host up to 20.000 people. The Tree of Life, with its extraordinary dancing fountain, is situated at the very centre of the pond, which is filled with dark pebbles that enhance the mirror effect.
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Located at the heart of the Expo in the middle of the Lake Arena, which seats 20k spectators, Marco Balich designed this 37 meter tall extravagance by drawing inspiration from Michelangelo’s 12 point star in the center of Piazza del Campidoglio; representing the constellations.
As if this LED clad structure wasn’t impressive enough on its own, though, the Tree is also surrounded by over 250 of Crystal’s jets; a perfect combination of ChoreoSwitches and Titans. Fountains have played a significant role in Italian history, and this incorporation of a water feature into the Italian icon of the Expo Milano 2015 not only adds entertainment value, but is a symbolic representation of the three rivers: the Po, the Ticino and the Adda, which surround Milan. Reaching heights of over 30 meters, these jets match the rhythm of the 12 minute custom composition of Meastro Roberto Cacciopaglia, which also guides the colour sequencing of the 472 Crystal Fountains LED lights. The final outcome is nothing short of spectacular; with history, art, lights, water, and music coming together to showcase a brilliant example of what human beings are capable of when they work together, and the impact that our innovations can have on others.
The Tree of Life is not merely a traditional or a religious symbol, it also reaches out to the future, to innovation, and to technology. Furthermore, it incorporates water into its design, which is a strong and necessary element to the Expo’s theme. The combined efforts of Milan and its guests are breaking headway in their goal to sustain the global population; achieving this not only by working towards combating issues surrounding nutrition, but by feeding our natural human lust for entertainment, cultural appreciation, and shared experiences with our global community. By giving us a look into Milan’s impressive history, the Expo then directs our gaze forward, towards an equally impressive future to be shared by everyone.
[from trends.archiexpo.com]
