In addition to the exhibition at the Palazzo della Ragione, Zaha Hadid architects also designed the architectural table, exhibited in Piazza Cavour in Padua, Italy, for the entire period of the Biennial.
In continuing the research on innovative materials and challenging building techniques, a traditional construction material has been completely reinvented.
The object is designed to challenge the usual perception of wood as a sheet or stick material, rediscovering the sculptural potential of the wooden mass. A large block of wood is carved out by dynamic forces to create an undulating structure, installed as a large-scale piece of urban forniture which will attract and surprise the pedestrian flow around it. Seating areas as well as displays are provided within the sculpture.
The top undulating surface has been panellised to generate a series of elements that can display architectural projects, and it will be used to showcase the winners of the 2009 Barbara Cappochin Biennal. The 3-D file printed from Zaha Hadid Architects has been engineered directly by the main contractor Ar.Te which has printed the projects in three dimensions, sculpting out the large wooden structure. The piece has been studied to be subdivided in modules to allow transportation on several locations to promote the Barbara Cappochin Biennal Architecture Prize over the next year.
