What's the theme?
"Connecting Minds, Building the Future" is the central theme, a platform to foster creativity, innovation and global collaboration to find innovative solutions to tomorrow's challenges.
Three sub-themes allow for in-depth exploration and respond to today's emergencies:
Opportunity:
explores ways to unleash the potential of individuals and communities and questions the possibilities of providing equitable and quality education, inclusive growth and reducing inequalities. It highlights the hope of new industries and the challenge of good governance in tomorrow's world.Mobility:
this theme reflects on the material and virtual connections between goods, people and ideas. It explores not only new transport, the travel of tomorrow, but also digital connectivity and everything related to logistics.Sustainability:
a major area of current discussions between scientists, governments and NGOs, it naturally finds its place in this exhibition. Resources, climate change, green growth, ecosystems, but also green cities and sustainable habitats are all avenues explored.
The site therefore aims to highlight the greatest challenges facing the planet in the coming years by reflecting on new methods, ideas and collaborations to solve them
.How is the site structured?
You have to imagine a flower with three petals. Each petal represents a neighbourhood and houses one of the 3 sub-themes. At the centre of the flower is the heart of the Expo called Al Wasl Plaza, which means "connection" in Arabic, a place for meetings, shows and exchanges.
Each of the 3 districts illustrates through a pavilion one of the 3 sub-themes: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability. It will be possible to move from one petal to the other without returning to the centre thanks to a circular path overlapping the three petals, thus symbolizing the importance of intersectoral reflection and decompartmentalization. As for the countries participating in the Expo, they were able to choose which petal to place their pavilion in according to the theme they had decided to highlight.
What events are planned around Expo 2020?
During each of the 173 days there will be more than 60 performances, from concerts to digital theatre, travelling craftsmen to fashion shows, poetry declamation, folklore from the other side of the world with the participation of dancers, acrobats, musicians, local artists and internationally renowned stars. At nightfall, pyrotechnic shows and concerts are planned throughout the site. In addition to the shows, each week will feature a theme with speakers known to participate in Ted talks, exhibitions, forums and workshops. If the calendar has not yet been decided, the themes are and here they are: Climate Week, Urban Development and Cities, Travel and Exploration, UN Sustainable Development Goals, Health and Well-being, Innovation, Agriculture and Habitat Development, Women and Girls, Water.
Symbolically, participating countries have chosen to designate a day to celebrate their national day. Not forgetting that on 2 December 2021, the United Arab Emirates promises a huge celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of its independence.
What about the food?
More than 200 points of sale. But not that and not just anyhow. In fact, Expo 2020 has set up a charter called "Food Ethos", which brings together a set of values aimed at promoting culinary ethics throughout the industry. All restaurants and bars must promote balanced dishes, offering vegan options, using local and organic resources whenever possible, all presented in sustainable packaging and at affordable prices. Around these outlets, expect a culinary show. Indeed, while many Emirati restaurants showcase the country's hospitality and traditional dishes, many internationally renowned chefs are also expected to present workshops to explore how robotics, augmented reality and virtual reality will change our eating habits in the future, from ordering to tasting.
Which pavilions should be explored?
Here is a selection of some of the 130 pavilions.
Wasl Plaza:
This is the heart of the Expo, the jewel in the crown! Designed by the American firm Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture, the dome is 130 metres in diameter and 67 metres high. Its architecture is inspired by the Expo logo, a 4,000-year-old ring found on the archaeological site of Saruq Al Hadeed in the Dubai desert. The iron lattice structure conceals 200 projectors and offers the largest projection surface in the world. 360° for an immersive experience, visible from inside and outside, which is a true technological feat. This is where the inauguration of the Expo will take place, as well as concerts and several events.The Mobility Pavilion,
designed by the renowned architectural firm Foster+Partners, houses the world's largest lift, which will be able to accommodate more than 160 people at a time. The pavilion also has a 340-metre-long walkway, half underground, half open, on which you can watch machines in action. Inside the pavilion, after exploring the history of mobility through the inventors of means of transport on earth and in space, visitors will be led to explore the cities of tomorrow with the use of artificial intelligence, big data, robotics and autonomous vehicles. Several workshops will enable visitors to design their spacecraft or robot, discover a moving hyperloop capsule or a solar tricycle.The Pavilion of Opportunity. The theme is ambitious, as it looks at the possibilities of unleashing the potential of individuals and communities to create a better world. Designed by AGi Architects, it is inspired by the rich urban history of public squares and their universal significance: a place to bring people of all ages, languages and cultures together. Made with natural materials, it is composed of 2,500 tons of stone and 111 kilometers of rope, among other things. Inside, 3 highlights. The first is to follow 3 mentors, Abel, Mama and Fatma, whose actions have had a strong impact on their communities in the areas of food, water and energy. Another one will allow you to participate in an international mission and the last one to explore the thousand and one ways to create a better future. In this way, visitors will be able to see that every action counts, that the 8 billion people are connected and that even the smallest actions can make a difference. The pavilion also wants to shed light on the 17 UN goals such as education, access to water, gender equality.
The Sustainability Pavilion
. We visited it! Terra - The Sustainability Pavilion was designed by the British firm Grimshaw Architects and aims to achieve the highest level of accreditation available for sustainable architecture, LEED Platinum certification. It takes the form of a huge 130-metre wide canopy covered with 1,055 solar panels that can produce up to 4 gigawatts per year. Inside this magnificent building, you can immerse yourself in two universes: under the oceans and under the forest. An immersive experience punctuated with scientific data that will allow you to understand in a very concrete way the fragile balance of our earth. The two universes come together in a space that explores several avenues of reflection for a different world. Very educational, the pavilion abounds with ideas, questioning our way of living, of consuming and of behaving. Under the canopy, three renowned Emirati artists, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Zainab Al-Hashemi and Mohamed Kazem, have represented through their art the interaction between man and nature. A pavilion that the children will appreciate very much.The United Arab Emirates Pavilion
: imagined by the architect Santiago Calatrava, its shape represents that of a hawk at the moment of its flight, whose mobile wings will be set in motion at certain times of the day. It will present the history of the country through the founding fathers, but also how it became a world hub. He will present his vision to the outside world, a constantly evolving poem generated by artificial intelligence and the contributions of visitors new technologies.The other pavilions:
to find your way around and find out which district it is in, download the Expo2020 application to find your way around. Here are a few suggestions, to give you the desire to explore further. The list is not exhaustive of course, but it reflects the diversity of the countries represented.In the mobility district:
France has chosen "Lumière Lumière" as the theme for its pavilion. Shows of light, cultural heritage, 18th century philosophers, progress are on the programme. It is an arch for the Belgium pavilion which will be covered with lush vegetation. It has been designed to produce more energy than it consumes. Visitors will be able to interact with many Belgian innovations while tasting culinary specialties, such as its French fries. The Republic of Korea offers a futuristic pavilion made up of rotating cubes and with a spiral space running along the inside and outside of the building offering panoramic views.Neighbourhood of Opportunity or Mission Possible:
Switzerland offers a cubic architecture reminiscent of Bedouin tents. From tradition to innovation, visitors can experience the Swiss landscape as they immerse themselves in a sea of clouds. In the United Kingdom, the outdoor architecture unveils a constantly evolving poem generated by artificial intelligence and the contributions of visitors. It also highlights the space sector. The Saudi Arabia pavilion is as big as two football camps and traces the history of this kingdom and the profound changes they hope for. For the India pavilion, the ambition is to illustrate a country's ambition through its "Five T's" - Talent, Transaction, Tradition, Tourism and Technology.You will be able to enjoy food festivals, literary performances, music and dance reflecting India's cultural diversityQuartier of
Sustainability:
in the Singapore pavilion, it will be difficult to tell the difference between nature and architecture. One of the highlights is the installation of a zero-emission rainforest fed by a self-sufficient ecosystem. For the Brazilian pavilion, water is at the heart of the pavilion. Reproducing the Amazon basin, its rich biodiversity and its potential for sustainable production, visitors will be able to walk while soaking up the scenery, sounds and scents of the Brazilian banks. For Norway, it's an interactive journey through more than 680 square metres of exhibition space to discover Norway's marine heritage.In all, more than 90 countries have built their own pavilions. For the other participating countries that did not have the financial means to build their own Expo2020 space provided them with turnkey pavilions. But each country will have its own pavilion.
What impressed us
Beyond the pavilions, it is the artists, architects and designers who, through their talents, have created an exceptional site of design and attention to detail. For example, the famous British architect Asif Khan designed the sublime doors of Expo 2020, made of carbon fibre and resin spun in very fine strands. A true architectural work of art. 50 benches inspired by Arabic calligraphy are the result of a collaboration between Asif Khan and typographer Lara Captan. Each bench represents a word in 3D. The different materials that make up the floor of the exhibition park, or the design of the roofs of the shaded passages, the illumination in the evening with lampposts whose silhouette is inspired by Sadu craftsmanship and the light projected draws the shadow of looms on the floor. We walk among thousands of trees, most of which are local species and have been planted thanks to a nursery set up on the edge of the site. In the hottest hours, 75% of the site is in the shade thanks to the superb shaded walkway that criss-crosses the site. There are many places to rest and relax. Music played throughout the site contributes to a truly Zen atmosphere.
And when it's all over?
As for the sustainability of the site, this is one of the great strengths of the project. Following Expo 2020, it will incorporate a new district called District 2020. The Dubai Convention Centre will move from the centre to the site. The theme districts will continue to live through a dynamic commercial and residential development project. Of the 130 buildings, 121 have been built to achieve LEED certification. 80% of the park will remain to integrate into District 2020. For example, the Sustainability Pavilion will be transformed into a science centre for youth. The Mobility Pavilion will become the headquarters for cooperation between international companies and Wasl Plaza will become a concert venue. For the rest, 75% of the temporary buildings will be redeployed elsewhere or recycled.
It is with an optimistic outlook that Expo2020 wants to face the challenges of tomorrow. Visitors will be able to discover sustainable practices, technologies from 5G to AI to green technology, and new business models that are revolutionizing engineering. The creation and construction of the cities of the future will also be an exciting topic. Debates and meetings are also at the heart of this World Expo. At the first World's Fair in 1851, London celebrated the innovations of the Industrial Revolution. With Expo 2020, Dubai wants to offer the Revolution 4.0. The world has an appointment with Dubai in 2021!
