Lithuania

Architecture JAS
Area 950 sq m

Designed by JAS, a group of young architects from Kaunas, the Lithuanian pavilion is a stripped-back, modernist affair composed of two cubes joined by a series of interconnecting walkways. The name 'Balansas' -- balance -- is intended to evoke the connection between tradition and innovation, echoed in the positioning of the two cubes, seemingly 'balanced' at either end of the structure.

In the first cube encountered (to the rear), metal floor tiles and matte-black walls decorated with graphic flowers contrast with the glowing white metal grille of the exterior panels. At its centre is a white globe embedded with circular text panels.

These are presented in a consistent woodcut 'folk' style, relating the story of the influences on Lithuania's agriculture and food culture, including the arrival of the then pope's niece Bona Sforza of Milan, who married King Sigismund the Elder in the mid-16th century, a union that proved to be massively influential on food, etiquette (for example, she introduced the fork) and culture.

Over the bridge, the other white cube presents an all-white, whimsical shop interior with similar graphic presentations, where current food specialities are offered with an array of craft items. Screened documentaries reveal the investigations into food production by Lithuanian universities, representing the food of the future. The pavilion is designed for easy installation and dismantling, and the roofs of both cubes are covered in grass for insulation and heat reduction.

Continue for Slovenia or read:

The making of Wolfgang Butruss' UK Pavilion

Milan Expo 2015: From Blueprint's point of view