The first time I came across the mention of Expos was at an art exhibition curated by Nancy Adajania where copies of Charles Correa’s unbuilt plans for the Indian pavilion at the Osaka Expo of 1970 were on display. An Expo, I learnt, is a global event where every state/nation gets to exhibit their story of evolution in the form of independent pavilions dedicated to each of them. And each pavilion, I recently witnessed myself, is a design marvel that takes at least a couple of hours to explore. Therefore, it is only natural that the hosts for the latest edition of the Expo in Dubai put on their best show for the first time the Middle East hosted the international spectacle.
It is known to all and sundry that you only need to walk a short stretch of downtown Dubai to find superlatives such as “the tallest”, “the biggest” and “the largest” — and all of these, in a global context. So imagine the standards that Dubai (and UAE) set for themselves in 2013 when they won the bid to host Expo 2020! Well, all you really need to do is to take one look at Al-Wasl, the central design element of Dubai Expo 2020 to set your expectations right.
Conceived by US-based firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, Al-Wasl is the largest 3D-projection surface in the world and is an example of what the human race’s ingenious prowess in design can look like. And I, for one, was mesmerised by it and have spent more than just one night, kicking off my shoes and lying down flat on one of the slopes under it (built for this exact purpose, by the way), staring at this man-made marvel in awe. But the design marvel that is Expo 2020 Dubai doesn’t just end here.
The Expo 2020 is a celebration of the UAE and Dubai’s appetite for everything king-size
The entire area that will stay on as District 2020 was designed as a prototype of a smart city with artificial intelligence and technology working hand in hand to let their story progress. Outside of the country pavilions, the thematic pavilions were designed around the Expo’s theme of Connecting Minds and Creating the Future.
Alif, the mobility pavilion, looks at the evolution of the human race and also looks ahead to space technology. The story of human evolution was told through life-like sculptures and Alif’s experience also included the world’s largest moving platform. The design for the sculptures was executed by New-Zealand-based Weta Workshop, whose impressive portfolio includes The Lord of the Rings. The story leads visitors into the future, as envisioned by a child and the display of space tech, along with cutting-edge technology.
In 2022, there is possibly nothing more relevant than sustainability, which explains the curiosity and demand for entry into Terra, the sustainability pavilion. Designed to make visitors experience either walking through the roots of the forest or the depths of the oceans, the element of interaction offer visitors to also answer some difficult questions. The ideas are inclusivity and involvement as the agenda is clear — the planet has to be saved by all of us together. The 4,912 solar panels on Terra — the sustainability pavilion’s 130-metre wide canopy and 18 energy trees (that rotate like a sunflower to absorb sunlight) — help generate enough electricity to charge more than 9,00,000 mobile phones. Designed by UK-based Grimshaw Architects, the pavilion also aims to achieve the highest level of accreditation for sustainability available.
Alif, the mobility pavilion, looks at the evolution of the human race and also looks ahead to space technology. Its design, both from outside and inside reflects that theme
Meanwhile, Mariam, Abel, and Mama Fatma greet you at the Mission Possible, the opportunity pavilion, whose small actions have contributed in a big way. Visitors get to learn from them, play interactive games, understand the Sustainability Goals and become an agent of change.
In fact, sustainability is such a strong area of focus for Expo 2020, that it was built around its tenets. As Ahmed Al Khatib, chief development and delivery officer, site delivery office, said, “Thirty per cent less water than used in general construction was used in the building of the site, without using chemical additives.”
Mission Possible is the opportunity pavilion where visitors can play interactive games and understand sustainability goals, among other things
We also learnt that more than 50 per cent of the power consumed came from renewable sources and every element of the design of the entire space was done with sustainability at its forefront. Experiences built around the Expo, explained Marjan Faraidooni, chief experience officer, pavilions and visitor experience, had the idea of spreading awareness about sustainability in mind and, therefore, has had a robust school programme with one million students involved. The programming and curation of the Expo, which has become one of the most-visited sites in the world since it opened in October, also had the pressures of being relevant, useful, entertaining and informational.
Nadia Verjee, chief of staff, director general office, Programme for People and Planet, gave us a brief insight into the gargantuan task and how they approached it. Making the content consistent across six months and ensuring that it appeals to the entire spectrum of ages, nationalities and ethnicities is no mean task. But during my three days spent there, I got the opportunity to immerse myself in a diverse range of programmes.
From a food talk at the Australian pavilion with a range of stake-holders into sustainable practices to a tour of the studio of the Firdaus Orchestra set up by A.R. Rahman with state-of-the-art paraphernalia, a look around at The Good Place by Expo Live and their stories of innovation are all just skimming the surface of the depth of the Expo’s programming that has something for everyone.
Terra is the sustainability pavilion and it makes its theme — that the planet has to be saved by all of us together — abundantly clear
A stop at the India Pavilion showed the country’s focus on highlighting investment opportunities and up to around 400 start-up founders have gone and pitched their ideas, at the time I was visiting the Expo. A quick chat with Dr. Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai and Deputy Comissioner General for India at Expo 2020 Dubai later, explained the focus on business for the country that forms a large chunk of the expat population there.
Later, a random walk around Al-Wasl got me lucky enough to catch Bonnie Tyler belt out a few songs in her signature husky voice! But that’s the joy of visiting the Expo — there is something for everyone at every nook and cranny! The options are endless and what you do with them is up to you. If there was ever a place that connected minds to create a better future, then it was Expo 2020 Dubai. Go visit before it is over!
Pictures: Courtesy of Expo 2020 Dubai and Getty Images
Expo 2020 Dubai is on,till March 31, 2022
