EXHIBITOR Magazine's World Expo Awards are not directly affiliated with EXPO 2020 Dubai or the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). It is hosted and organized by Exhibitor Media Group and not recognized as an official competition of EXPO 2020.
Entry Info
Eligibility
The competition is open to pavilions, presentations, and pavilion elements appearing at Expo 2020 (the world's fair in Dubai, UAE).
Categories
Projects may be entered in multiple categories, but each category submission will require an additional fee.
• Best Pavilion: All pavilions that are part of Expo 2020 are eligible to enter this category, including corporate pavilions, country pavilions, theme pavilions, nongovernmental organization (NGO) pavilions, etc. Judges will consider all elements of the pavilion, from exterior design to interior design to the overall attendee experience (including any activities, interactives, presentations, etc.). All entries in the Best Pavilion category are automatically eligible for the People's Choice Award (which will be determined via online vote).
• Best Small Pavilion: Any pavilion 2,500 square meters or fewer is eligible. Judges will consider the design of the pavilion, as well as any activities, interactives, etc. All entries in the Best Small Pavilion category are automatically eligible for the People's Choice Award (which will be determined via online vote).
• Best Exterior Design: All pavilions that are part of Expo 2020 are eligible to enter this category, including corporate pavilions, country pavilions, theme pavilions, nongovernmental organization (NGO) pavilions, etc. Judges will consider only the entries' exterior designs, along with information regarding the inspirations behind the designs.
• Best Sustainable Design: All pavilions that are part of Expo 2020 are eligible to enter this category, including corporate pavilions, country pavilions, theme pavilions, nongovernmental organization (NGO) pavilions, etc. Judges will consider how the pavilion minimizes and/or offsets its environmental impact, including such elements as eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient features, sustainability solutions, reusage plans, etc.
• Best Activity/Interactive: This category is open to any activity or interactive experience within a pavilion. Entries may include hands-on or virtual experiences where attendees interact with a staffer, a kiosk, a touchscreen, or any other element within the pavilion. An interactive that employs technology is eligible for both the Best Activity/Interactive and Best Use of Technology categories. Entries may include up to three different activities/interactives per entry in this category.
• Best Interpretation of Theme: Entries must explain how the pavilion and/or presentation interpreted the theme "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future" and/or related subthemes (e.g., sustainability, mobility, opportunity).
• Best Presentation: Entries can include live, multimedia, or prerecorded video presentations. Judges can consider everything from the effectiveness of the presentation medium to the impact of key messaging to the memorability of the presentation as a whole (including the design of the presentation space, if applicable).
• Best Use of Technology: This category is open to any application of technology within a pavilion. Entries may include anything from immersive large-scale projection to augmented-reality applications to hand-held interactive devices to robotics and more. Judges will look for innovation, evaluating entries based on the uniqueness of the application and how the technology enhances the attendee experience.
• Best Exhibit/Display: This category is open to any individual exhibits and/or displays housed within an Expo 2020 pavilion, including corporate pavilions, country pavilions, theme pavilions, nongovernmental organization (NGO) pavilions, etc. Entries may include a specific segment of a pavilion, a unique room or display within a pavilion, an individual exhibit within a pavilion, etc.
• Elements and Details: Entries may include any innovative elements or materials that are part of a larger exhibit or pavilion, or an individual exhibit that doesn't function as a pavilion. Entries can include anything from a unique stairway, lounge, or reception desk to an eye-catching display, light fixture, seating ensemble, presentation stage, individual segment of a pavilion. A culturally significant conference room, ceiling element, wall, etc. are also eligible. Judges will consider the aesthetics, appropriateness, and overall impact of each entry. Entrants can submit photos and textual descriptions of up to three individual elements per entry fee in this category.
• All-Access Entry: For one flat entry fee of $1,000 (by the early deadline of December 17), $1,250 (by the regular deadline of January 7), or $1,500 (by the late deadline of January 28), your pavilion will be considered in seven categories (Best Pavilion/Best Small Pavilion, Best Exterior Design, Best Sustainable Design, Best Activity/Interactive, Best Interpretation of Theme, Best Presentation, Best Use of Technology, Best Exhibit/Display, and Elements and Details). Additionally, All-Access entries will also be eligible for the Editor's Choice Award, selected by members of the EXHIBITOR editorial team, and the People's Choice Award, selected by popular vote on ExhibitorOnline.com.
The Judges
Shahad Alazzaz founder
Azaz Architects Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Shahad Alazzaz, founder of Azaz Architects, was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to famous journalist and photographer, Saleh Alazzaz. She earned a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Manchester and a master's in architectural design and project management from IE Business School in Madrid. Her career in the industry took off as she joined a Spanish firm as a summer intern but was quickly appointed to manage projects she brought in from the Middle East. With a continuously growing passion for the job and an unresting ambition, Alazzaz is responsible for projects that span from residential spaces to massive judicial projects. The architect's new venture is described as a continuation of the design process, but with a different philosophy. In 2017, Alazzaz founded Azaz Architects, approaching her passion to design with what she describes as a "new philosophy." The award-winning boutique firm provides architectural services to projects of all scales. This approach adds to the broad, yet rich portfolio of the newly founded Azaz Architects. Shahad Alazzaz has been assigned as the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) representative in Riyadh.
Javier Cardona director
Indigo One SAS Bogota, Colombia
Javier Cardona is an industrial designer with more than 25 years of experience leading Latin American companies in the conference, exhibition, and live marketing industries with a focus on strategic thinking. He specializes in professional international exhibitions and event marketing, production, design, and architectural solutions. Some of his most exciting projects have been developed for the World Petroleum Congress in Qatar, South Africa, Spain, and Russia. At Exposistemas Peru, Cardona successfully modernized a 40-year-old pioneering Latin American exhibition company, completely restructuring the organization, rebranding it, and repositioning it in international markets (ultimately growing their sales and profits by 23 percent since coming on board. Cardona's greatest achievements at InterExpo Colombia were successfully winning and maintaining the top three Colombian customers for international projects (Ecopetrol, ANH National Hydrocarbon Agency, and Juan Valdez in association with the National Federation of Coffee Makers), with an average annual growth rate of 18 percent. He ultimately grew the company's portfolio of clients to be the largest in the Andean region and certified the company's commercial and design processes under ISO 9001 standards, making it the first company in Latin America to do so. Cardona was also the producer of the Stakeholders' General Assembly for Ecopetrol Colombia,the largest private-sector event in South America, from 2008 to 2015.
Michael Chrystal CEO and owner
Forum Your Brand Builder GmbH Solingen, Germany
Michael Chrystal is a 39-year veteran of the exhibition industry and the CEO and owner of Forum Your Brandbuilder GmbH, a Solingen, Germany-based exhibition and live-event agency. He has been involved with endless creative projects across the globe for brands such as Lenovo, Motorola, Hisense, Russian Railways, Safran, Comdirekt, Nikon, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Motors, Hauwei, and more. In addition, he's been actively involved in the creative work for the national pavilions of Japan, China, Taiwan, India, Korea, the United States of America, Italy, Brazil, and more. Previously, Chrystal was the CEO and co-owner of Fair Concept International, Olily, and Olivon, and he served as the CEO and owner of Unit One Expo Team.
Paco Collazo owner and CEO
Happy Projects LATAM Mexico City, Mexico
Paco Collazo is the CEO of Happy Projects, an experiential marketing and exhibit design and production firm that offers comprehensive solutions for partners and clients with worldwide capabilities. Collazo has enjoyed the event production business his entire life, having been born into the industry, and he had the privilege to learn the business alongside his dad who took him to his first trade show when he was just 7 years old. Collazo has worked in all facets of the industry, from installing graphics as a kid to producing work for global events such as the Olympics, the International Consumer Electronics Show, the SuperBowl, Ted Talks, and trade show hosted all over the globe. Collazo is also on the board of directors for the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA), the network for leaders in the custom experience industry.
Carla Conte founder and creative director
Brand Creative Dubai, UAE
Carla Conte is a celebrated interior and branding specialist with extensive experience in brand creation and redefinition. Her strategic design methodology is the major force behind the mult-award-winning work she has produced in North America, Latin America, the UK, Asia, and presently the Middle East. Conte has conceptualized innovative work of impressive scale for major international brands and Fortune 500 retailers. In 2011, she opened her own design agency, Brand Creative, with a philosophy that draws on integrating interior and graphic skills to create memorable branded environments. Brand Creative's mission is to provide design solutions that encompass IQ and EQ components that work to resolve social, environmental, and economic issues through a highly considered aesthetic lens. Conte is consistently recognized on Power Lists in the Middle East and regarded as an industry leader. In recent years, she was awarded design:RETAIL's 2017 Top 40 Under 40 Retail Designers Worldwide while many of her agency's projects have received both local and international accolades and publications.
Dana Esposito vice president of brand strategy and experience
Sacks Exhibits Andover, MA
As the vice president of brand strategy and experience at Sacks Exhibits, Dana Esposito fosters open communication and continuous education and is a fearless champion of propelling clients and her team forward. With more than 25 years of exhibit design and trade show industry experience, she has received recognition for her award-winning designs as well as her leadership throughout the industry. Esposito supports the account executives and creative team focusing on solving clients' specific needs and problems. She is also responsible for cultivating the Sacks' brand, implementing best practices, refining process, and championing clients' brands and goals. Her awards include the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) Designer of the Year and the 2017 Star Award. She is the co-chair of the EDPA University Affiliations Committee and an adjunct professor at BSU, and she's on the EDPA Board of Directors.
Chris Fredericksen chief creative officer
Pinnacle Exhibits Hillsboro, OR, USA
As the chief creative officer at Pinnacle Exhibits, Chris Fredericksen leads a world-class team of talented designers and is a creative visionary that brings show-stopping brand experiences, events, and environments to life for some of the world's top brands. Prior to his current role, Fredericksen held creative leadership positions on both the agency and client side at Derse Inc., George P. Johnson, a Project Worldwide agency, and Westfield Corp. With a background that spans architecture and interactive digital media, Fredericksen is an award-winning creative leader that lives at the intersection between environmental and experiential design. In his 15-plus years of diverse and far-reaching experience, he's designed everything from theme parks to high-end retail destinations, international auto shows, resort cities, and everything in between. His wide spectrum of expertise has afforded him coveted opportunities to develop engaging creative solutions for global brands such as Toyota, Lexus, Porsche, Mazda, Hyundai, Audi, BMW, Disney, Paramount Pictures, Virgin America, Microsoft, American Express, Kaiser Permanente, K2, Samsung, Harley-Davidson, Griffin, Sony, Toshiba, ZTE, Capital One, and more.
Fredericksen holds a Master of Design degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design with joint credit granted from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Woodbury University.
Peter Jung co-founder
Milton Exhibits Group Kowloon, Hong Kong
Peter Jung is the co-founder of Milton Exhibits Group, an integrated marketing company specialized in assisting brands to build experience for its target audience through events and exhibitions. Under his leadership, Milton witnessed a steady growth from a Hong Kong-based technical, creative, and technological service provider to a company with more than 220 employees in nine offices strategically located in major cities of Greater China and South Asia regions. Jung currently holds the position of managing director of the Greater China region, where he oversees day-to-day management as well as its corporate functions, business development, and strategic planning. He is a strong believer and supporter in education and talent development for the event and exhibition industry. Jung obtained his EMBA from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2015 and MRICS from The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in 2016.
Monica Kalman architect
Modular Arquitetura Sustentavel São Paulo, Brazil
Monica Kalman was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Lisbon in Portugal. She has been creating temporary architecture and developing expographic projects since 2006 in South America, Europe, and Asia. In Brazil, Kalman has held exhibitions at Instituto Tomie Ohtake, Museu da Casa Brasileira, Museu de Arte Brasileira da FAAP, Art Week in São Paulo, Associação Viver Mais do Itaú, ArtRio, Paralela Fair at Oca, BlastU, Casa das Rosas, and Cultural Center São Paulo, among others. After being exposed to system architecture in Portugal, where she lived for 18 years, Kalman began manufacturing modular systems in Brazil. She also works in business development, helping Brazilian companies tap into the European market through her expertise in expography, scenography, and modular stand building.
Christian Lachel chief creative officer
BRC Imagination Arts Burbank CA, USA
As the chief creative officer at BRC Imagination Arts, Christian Lachel has spent more than two decades leading projects from strategy and design through production and opening day. He specializes in experiential design, tourism, sustainability, revenue, operations, project-delivery plans, and creative-storytelling approaches for award-winning brand homes, flagships, tours, museums, cultural attractions, and global expo and event pavilions that excite audiences around the world, deepen customer loyalty, and build emotional connections. Some of Lachel's brand and cultural projects include Johnnie Walker Princes St., Jameson Distillery Bow St., NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, and The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. His most notable World Expo work includes the Information and Communications Pavilion and SAIC-GM Pavilion at Shanghai's Expo 2010, the European Union Pavilion at Milan's Expo 2015, the Japan Gas Pavilion at Aichi's Expo 2005, and the USA Pavilions at Astana's Expo 2017 as well as Expo 2010 and Expo 2005. Lachel's Expo work has won numerous awards for technical and creative excellence and is consistently ranked among the top pavilions by Neilsen. Lachel earned a degree in Design and Marketing at the College of DuPage, a BS with Honors in Entertainment Design from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, and an Executive Education from Wharton Business School with a certificate in Business Analytics and Data Insights. In addition, he is a LEED Accredited professional with the U.S. Green Building Council and an industry leader on sustainable and inclusive design solutions. He is also a past Society of Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD) Board Member and has been a Forbes Agency Council contributor since 2017.
Marcela Medrano president
Dodecaedro S.A. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Born in Mendoza, Argentina, Marcela Medrano was recently named the president and co-owner of Dodecaedro Group after 11 years of intrapreneurship. Her first steps in architecture were as an independent architect in the early 2000s. Then, Medrano began her journey into the business-to-business and business-to-consumer arena, working in different capacities at Dodecaedro Group as a production manager, international project manager, and marketing manager, leading design projects all over the world. A mom of three kids and a tireless seeker of new ideas, she is always on the move. "My passion as an architect comes from a lifelong obsession with making things," says Medrano. "From a young age, I have always tried to create something entirely different, functional, and beautiful. I find the perfect mix between ephemeral architecture and live marketing communication is a way for me to connect with this objective."
Mpethi Morojele managing director
MMA Design Studio Johannesburg, South Africa
Mpethi Morojele is the owner and founder of MMA Design Studio (established as MMA Architects in 1995), a midsized award-winning architecture and design studio based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Born in Lesotho, he studied architecture at the University of Cape Town and at the Bartlett University College London before becoming a studio lecturer for the School of Architecture at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Morojele's work has been recognized locally and abroad for engaging the African landscape through a contemporary interpretation of indigenous knowledge and cultural practices. He is a regular conference speaker and has curated exhibitions on South African architecture and urbanity at the Venice Biennale, the Royal Institute of British Architects, and AEDAS Berlin. Morojele was a key member of the scientific committee at the 2014 International Union of Architects (UIA) congress in Durban and is one of the founding committee members of the recently launched African Architecture Awards.
Jim Ogul world's fair editor
InPark Magazine Washington, DC, USA
Since 2013, Jim Ogul has served as the world's fair editor of U.S.-based InPark Magazine. Previously, he managed the U.S. State Department and Department of Commerce's world's fair projects. A graduate of Penn State University, Ogul also works with IMG as a corporate partnership consultant for Expo 2020 Dubai, and previously worked in various capacities – as an exhibits director, pavilion director, project manager, deputy commissioner general, State Department coordinator, and a State Department consultant – at the New York World's Fair in 1964, Expo 1982 in Tennessee, Expo 1984 in Louisiana, Expo 1985 in Japan, Expo 1986 in Canada, Expo 1992 in Spain, Expo 1998 in Portugal, Expo 2005 in Japan, Expo 2010 in China, Expo 2012 in South Korea, and Expo 2017 in Kazakhstan. Ogul also served as U.S. delegate to the Bureau International des Exhibitions (BIE), and managed exhibits at the Sao Paulo and Mexico City Olympic Games. In addition to his work with world's fairs, Ogul developed exhibition concepts for the American Museum of Science and Energy, produced and managed exhibits at the National Homebuilders Show, and managed traveling Energy Exhibitions at the California Museum of Science and Industry, the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, the Pacific Science Center, and the Columbus Museum of Science and Industry.
Andy Sexton executive creative director and partner
2LK Design Ltd. Farnham, United Kingdom
Driven by a passion and commitment for effective design, Andy Sexton oversees the unique "experience innovation" offering of 2LK Design Ltd. It's an approach that combines creativity, craft, and technology that's driven 2LK's growth as a globally recognized leader in brand experience design. From one-off activations to global experiential campaigns and permanent installations, he directs the creation of content-rich, next-generation experiences for the likes of brands such as Intel, Canon, HSBC, Oracle, and TikTok. His vision is key to the agency's ongoing success and shapes the award-winning work it produces. Trained in product design and marketing, Sexton joined 2LK in 2007, initially as a 3-D designer. Moving quickly through various leadership roles, he became the executive creative director and a significant shareholder in the business when he was just 28. He's judged various competitions and programs for the likes of The Drum, Creativepool, C&IT, Euroshop, Integrated Systems Europe, and Event Tech Live. Paying it forward, Sexton is also a board member for the Design Business Association and actively supports the design faculty at Southampton Solent University and University for the Creative Arts.
Victor Torregroza experiences program manager, global events marketing
Intel Corp. Santa Clara, CA
Victor Torregroza is an experiential program manager for global events marketing at Intel Corp. He is a passionate pioneer of experiential marketing, and he delivers events as rich moments of story and experience. His mantra "we eat with our eyes" carries more weight as we spend so much time interacting through illuminated screens, and soon, in person again. A recipient of multiple EXHIBITOR magazine awards (including two Sizzle Awards, Exhibit Design Awards, and multiple Best of CES honors for his exceptional exhibits at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas), Torregroza believes in delivering lush, memorable moments that reach people on a sincerely heartfelt level. Torregroza is also a former Editorial Advisory Board member for EXHIBITOR magazine, as well as a top-rated faculty member at EXHIBITORLIVE.
Satoru Utashiro started his career as a space designer at Hakuten Corp. in Tokyo, where he now serves as the creative director and experiential designer. In addition to designing offline and online projects, he crafts experiences that focus on human behavior and emotions – from space design and land utilization planning to product design and web marketing planning. Utashiro's clients hail from a variety of industries, including automotive, robotics, finance, chemistry, entertainment, baby products, etc. And his work has been installed throughout a host of countries, such as France, Germany, the United States, China, and South Korea. Utashiro has lectured at Tohoku University of Art and Design and won myriad awards including Exhibit Design Awards from EXHIBITOR magazine, the iF Design Award, the Good Design Award, the Design For Asia award, and more.
Mohammadreza Ghodousi founder and general manager
Zav Architects Vancouver, Canada
Mohammadreza Ghodousi graduated from Shahid Beheshti University with a master's degree in Architecture. His thesis, "Six Scenarios After the Architect," focused on the reconstruction of war-effected Khorramshahr City. Having professional experience in Iran, Canada, and Iraq, he has held various responsibilities in the master planning of Abadan and Khorramshahr. Ghodousi also took part in public projects and the renovation of historical monuments. As one of the founders of ZAV Architects in 2006, he and his colleagues are pushing for the notion of "Form Follows Public Interest," and they do their best to implement this idea in all of their urban projects. ZAV has received many national and international awards including the Memar Award, the 2018 AR House Award, two Architizer Awards, the 2019 Affordable Housing WAN Award, Cultural Building of the Year, a 2019 Dezeen Award, a 2020 TIDA Gold Award, and the 2021 ArchDaily Building of the Year Award. Ghodousi was also selected as one of 2021's Designers and Architects to Know Across the Middle East.
Recognition
World Expo Award winners and Honorable Mentions will be selected at the judges' discretion. Awards may not be granted in all categories, and size parameters may be altered at the judges' discretion. Winners will be notified in March of 2022. Winning entrants will receive a free custom trophy.
People's Choice Award/Editor's Choice Award
All entrants in the Best Pavilion and Best Small Pavilion categories that provide appropriate photos will be eligible for the People's Choice Award, which will be determined via online vote. All entrants will be eligible for the Editor's Choice Award, which will be judged by the editor of EXHIBITOR magazine. No additional fees or entry forms are required for these two awards.
