Innovation and creativity know no bounds at Expo 2020 Dubai, where visitors will experience fascinating and unique events. One standout experience is the preparation of coffee using solar energy, showcased through a user-friendly solar-powered mocha coffee maker inspired by circular economy principles. This immersive experience encompasses every stage of coffee production, from the beans to the cup.
The Italy Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai features a new café that welcomes coffee lovers and offers more than just a meeting space for enjoying a delicious cup of coffee. Designed by Carlo Ratti Associati, this unique project aims to provide an immersive journey through the world of coffee that traverses every stage of its life cycle, from the beans to the cup. The café takes coffee enthusiasts on an exclusive journey that narrates the tale of aromatic scents, innovation, and sustainability values, engaging their imagination and senses with the sight of "Solar Mocha," an easy-to-use solar-powered coffee preparation platform. This platform embodies a continuous coffee production process that integrates both natural and artificial elements, showcasing the potential for reusing each component and emphasizing the importance of a highly transparent purchasing chain.
The unique blend of finishes and special materials offers visitors a multi-sensory experience, including tasting the finest Italian coffee while listening to the sound of grinding coffee beans and immersed in their fragrant aromas. Visitors can also touch organic materials used in the décor, such as preserved coffee beans set in resin molds that form the surface of the workspace. Furthermore, this project aims to remind people of the connection between coffee production and the local communities that represent the beating heart of this unique story. The narrative of sustainable coffee consists of three chapters.
**Coffee Plants**
A series of medium-sized coffee plants have been suspended to grow above ground level, giving visitors an idea of the initial stage of the coffee production process. These plants will be cared for throughout the Expo, with their beans later entering the production cycle once they mature.
**Solar Mocha**
The "Solar Mocha" platform, inspired by the climate of the Middle East, features a series of mirrors that track the sun's movement to generate heat. The 2.2-meter high tube is designed based on the famous mocha coffee maker "Carmencita," created by Italian designer Marco Zanuso for the Lavazza brand in 1979. This innovative technology helps reduce energy consumption during the subsequent stages of coffee preparation. When heated, water flows through copper pipes containing coffee, unveiling the coffee preparation process through an immersive multi-sensory experience.
**Coffee-Based Surfaces**
The inspiration drawn from the circular economy is evident in the design of work surfaces made from reusable ground coffee beans, featuring a uniquely textured surface created from coffee beans and resin.
