The Italian pavilion built for the Shanghai World Expo 2010. Photo:VCG

The Italian pavilion built for the Shanghai World Expo 2010 will be redesigned into an Italian-themed museum. Lorenzo Fioramonti, the Italian Minister of Education, University and Research, told the Global Times during his visit to Shanghai on November 29 he hopes the project could be completed by the end of 2020.

Located on Shibo Avenue of Pudong New Area, the pavilion was transformed into the Shanghai Italian Center after the Expo. The center facilitated bilateral exchanges on culture, art, design and trade between China and Italy. 

Fioramonti proposed that the pavilion become a hub for interactive research in addition to a museum. He believes this can facilitate scientific and cultural cooperation between the two countries. 

Tongji University of Shanghai, Polytechnic University of Turin and the University of Florence have contributed more than 30 teachers and students to collaborate on this project. The team showcased their preliminary designs at a workshop hosted by the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai on November 29.

Universities and companies of the two countries are also collaborating on cultural heritage protection, according to Fioramonti. He said that protection of cultural heritage needs to go hand in hand with the promotion of culture. 

He believes interactive technologies like virtual reality and 3D can more easily protect and promote cultural heritage, moving it out of the museum and engaging more people. Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Italy.