For the first Festival of Europe, held in Florence in 2011, Studio Lauria designed three temporary pavilions in Piazza della Signoria and the theatrical lighting of the Loggia dei Lanzi. Promoted by the European University Institute with support from the European Commission and other institutions, the initiative aimed to bring European policies closer to citizens and communicate the European agenda through meetings, exhibitions and public activities.
The main pavilion, positioned beside Palazzo Vecchio, covered approximately 400 square metres, while the complete installation extended across more than one thousand square metres. The load-bearing structure was made of steel, and the envelope used coloured MDF panels suited to temporary, modular and rapidly assembled construction.
The most distinctive choice was the use of mirrored film on the elevations. The reflective surfaces captured fragments of Renaissance architecture, statues and movement in the square, making the pavilion appear more like a perceptual device than an autonomous volume. The temporary architecture engaged with one of Florence’s most symbolic places without imitating it, incorporating historic heritage into contemporary communication. The project combined institutional presence, constructional reversibility and the ability to generate new experiences of public space.
Aware of the challenges of globalisation, we draw on Italian creativity to develop projects that respect and enhance local identities and cultures.
