ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, Kossmanndejong, Tellart, SYPartners, Tinkah, Lest We Forget, Loci, Waho, Nexus Studios, Onion Lab, Factory Fifteen, Yesyesno, Matthew Herbert, Resonate, Mane, Calatrava International
PHOTOS: Thijs Wolzak, Palladium Photodesign / Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg, Calatrava International, Bachir Moukarzel, WAHO Landscape Architects, Shadow Studios
Embodying the main theme of Expo 2020, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” and symbolizing the UAE’s pioneering spirit, the host country’s pavilion was designed by architect and engineer Dr. Santiago Calatrava, who was inspired by the falcon. By channeling the ideas of mobility, synchronized flow, and technological innovation, the relationship between architectural spaces and structural systems fuse together to create a symbiotic design composition in which form and function blend seamlessly. The resulting design features 28 moveable wings that function as a shell structure and portable frame, controlled by an array of radially positioned steel ribs that span the façade of the pavilion. A total of 46 specialized hydraulic actuators allow the wings to open in synchronized motion in just 3 minutes. When open, the moveable wings reveal the surface grid of photovoltaic panels, which absorb sunlight to harvest energy that is returned to the main power grid.
Comprehensive solar, wind, and shadow studies explored through algorithmic simulations of three-dimensional models guided and nurtured the design in its ability to respond specifically and sensitively to the site conditions and surrounding context. The resulting orientation and layout of the UAE Pavilion within the plot allowed for uninhibited views of the building from within the site. With that in mind, the landscape that encompasses the building features a strong radial layout that directly responds to the building features and represents a wider desertscape. The selection of endemic plants and trees — anchored in undulating dunes — are evocative of the country’s natural landscape while also maintaining unobstructive views of the pavilion.
The conceptual framework of the falcon and the streamlined shape of the wings and feathers further inspired WAHO’s landscape design, resulting in blade-shaped paving encased with regionally sourced stone. Juxtaposed against the tranquil sound and light emanating from the falaj (an ancient and incredibly innovative agricultural system that has been artfully integrated into the landscape as a cultural reference to local invention), the landscape heightens the sensory experience, provides balance and harmony, and directs visitor flow by adjusting the reticulation speed of the water resulting in a fluid and contemporary design which is grounded in thought-leading placemaking.
One highlight from inside the stunning structure is a circular space representing the Desert of Dreams. When guests enter the circle, the space responds to their movements, which create colorful trails on the ground resembling threads. As more people join the circle, those threads weave together, creating a swirling vortex of color. Meanwhile, inside a 300-degree dome theater, visitors watch an animated film entitled “Dreaming Together,” which follows the story of three generations of Emirati women as they participate in the development of the nation — from its humble beginnings, to where it is today, and on into the future. During the 2.5-minute film, the floor of the theater slowly rises, and an egress animation guides them toward the exit, releasing them out onto the upper floor of the building.
