CONCEPT. The issue of freedom of expression is a very delicate one. There are still many states where freedom of expression is strictly prohibited and in others it is strongly controlled by authoritarian governments. The chart below explains the worldwide situation of freedom of expression and the oppression of this human right.
In recent years the world has been repeatedly hit by severe terrorist attacks against the freedom of choice or expression. One of them was the Charlie Hebdo shooting in January 2015. In spite of the traumatic events Charlie Hebdo did never give up and continues its irreverent satire. Charlie Hebdo is also symbolic: Surely, terrorist attacks may be shaking the whole world but freedom is something that must be defended with all force.
The proposed project aims to be a clear opportunity to all those who are not free to express themselves: The pavilion dedicated to Charlie Hebdo is designed to be a modern "Agora", where everyone from everywhere around the world can express their ideas through a computerized system. The pavilion is “living” architecture, able to interact not only with visitors but, thanks to the internet, the whole world.
Freedom allows us to play even with serious issues, as taught by Charlie Hebdo. The pavilion's shape resembles a kind of war machine where the guns are replaced by colorful megaphones, each color corresponds to a state. all people can express their ideas through the mobile application, visitors can hear them, read them or look at them through an interactive system. Every time the viewer clicks the button related to a state, the megaphone connected to it expels smoke, meant so symbolize a speech balloon and one can hear or see what a remote user wants to express. The overall concept is to create a playful ambience that is informative and fun at the same time to remember that freedom is enjoyable but we always need to nourish it. The structure can be easily assembled and disassembled to allow the transport in every part of the world. Furthermore, it is built of natural and recycled materials and therefore environmentally friendly.
