Spanish architectural glass on the great dome of the Pavilion of Italy at the Expo 2015 in Milan

Tvitec has provided almost 3,000 sqm of glass for “La Vela” (the Sail), the name that has been assigned to the dome of this emblematic project, designed by the Roman studio Nemesi & Partners. 















The architectural glass, processed and supplied by Tvitec for the Pavilion of Italy, gives shape, together with a photovoltaic glass composition, to the dome that sets this unique building apart. It is about 2,800 sqm of laminates and insulating glass units, made of low-iron glass and low-e coatings, that contribute to promoter’s main target: to get a high energy efficient building beyond its outstanding aesthetics.















One of the most important technical difficulties of the glass supply for this spectacular project was the processing of dozens of large panes with different geometry: triangular, rectangular and trapezoidal. The dome is an innovative and futurist sail made of crystal and steel that has been developed and installed by the Italian cladding company Stahlbau Pichler GmbH.















The dome reaches up to a height of 35m over the interior square of the Pavilion of Italy, where the large glass skylight lets the natural light go through over the central agora and the main corridors. This gigantic structure represents the symbolic centre of the whole architectural project. Nemesi & Partners, Stahlbau Pichler and Tvitec chose Sunguard HD Light Blue 52 as the coating for the insulating glass units, aiming to contribute to a Zero Energy Consumption building.















The total weight of this dome reaches 350 metric tons. On top of the energy saving and efficiency criteria, strict guidelines and requirements have been taken into account in order to secure the integrity of “La Vela”.







Tvitec has the largest architectural glass processing facility in Spain, located in Cubillos del Sil (Leon), and it is one of the main European companies in glass sector. In 2014 its turnover reached 60 million Euro, 70% of which went to foreign markets, especially to the increasing activity in North America.

Further information on: www.tvitec.com