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UK Pavilion, Milan Expo 2015

Operational planning advice for the award-winning UK Pavilion

Background

The Department for International Trade (DIT) commissioned Movement Strategies to provide design advice for the UK Pavilion at the Milan Expo 2015. Their concept was developed around a giant beehive at the centre of a wild-flower meadow and how new research and technology have helped to address food security and biodiversity. Movement Strategies were to support Stage One, the contractor, providing visitor movement analysis to inform the Design and Operations of the UK Pavilion.

LocatioN 
Milan

Client
STAGEONE (FOR DIT)

Year
2015

WHAT WE DID

We worked with the design team to understand how the Pavilion was intended to work, and to determine the capacity of each of the components of the Pavilion. We used this analysis to determine the design standards so the Expo Pavilion provided an efficient resilient scheme, with balanced flow, through each element of the Pavilion.

The simulation modelling further enhanced the design development and operational planning and demonstrated that the Pavilion complied with the Expo visitor experience and circulation standards. Computer simulation modelling has demonstrated that the operation of the Pavilion was sensitive to the capacity and average dwell time within the Hive.

RESULTS

Our team informed the development of the venue to improve circulation, maximise potential throughput and reduce visitor delays. We also advised on how the Pavilion circulation should be managed.

On its busiest day, the Milan Expo received 240,000 visitors. With staff actively managing the visitors, the UK Pavilion received approximately 25,000 visitors a day, three times more visitors than UKTI’s forecast.

The UK Pavilion received three awards.

Movement Strategies was invited to meet with the Italian and British Prime Ministers during their visit to the Pavilion to celebrate its success.

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