Solar Moka: at the Lavazza coffee shop, the experience of sustainable coffee made with the sun

• An immersive experience at every stage of coffee production, from bean to cup

A new cafe will welcome visitors to the Pavilion of Italy at Expo Dubai 2020. More than just a place to meet and share, Carlo Ratti Associati’s project is designed to create an immersive coffee experience at every stage of its life cycle, from bean to cup. She will do this by taking enthusiasts in the hand and guiding them through a narrative of aromas, innovation and sustainability, as well as appealing to their imaginations and senses with the Solar Moka, a user-friendly installation powered by solar energy. The Solar Moka presents the production process as a continuous cycle, combining natural and man-made elements, revealing the potential reuse of each component and emphasizing the importance of a transparent supply chain.

A combination of finishes and special materials offers visitors a multi-sensory experience involving taste, in the form of the best Italian coffee, hearing and smell, thanks to the grinding sounds and aromas of coffee released, and the touch, in contact with organic matter, materials used for the decoration, such as the coffee beans set in resin appearing on the worktop. The project also reminds us of the relationship between coffee production and local communities which is the beating heart of this particular story.

A story in three chapters

COFFEE PLANTS// A series of medium-sized coffee trees hang out of the ground to show visitors the first step in the production process. The plants will be cultivated for the duration of the World’s Fair and, when ready, their beans will enter the production cycle.

SUN MOKA // Inspired by the climate of the Middle East, the Solar Moka incorporates a series of mirrors that follow the sun to produce heat. The notion of The 2.2-meter-tall mocha pays homage to the iconic Carmencita mocha pot, designed by Italian designer Marco Zanuso for Lavazza in 1979. This innovative technology reduces energy consumption in the later stages of brewing coffee. When heated, water flows through copper pipes surrounding the cafeteria, revealing the brewing process in a multisensory experience.

COFFEE COUNTER // The inspiration provided by the circular economy is also found in the design of the counter, which is made from reused coffee grounds and has a tactile coffee bean and resin surface top.

© Press release 2021