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expo awards
Honorable Mentions
In addition to the winners of EXHIBITOR Magazine's World Expo Awards competition, two honorable mentions were named in each category. To be among the top three entrants in a given category is no small accomplishment considering there were more than 200 pavilions on display at Expo 2020 in Dubai. So kudos to these runners-up, who inspired our judges, editors, and readers alike with their experiential design, sustainable strategies, live presentations, immersive activities, and more.
PHOTO: Facts and Fiction GmbH, NUSSLI Group
Germany Pavilion
Category: Best XL Pavilion
Design: Facts and Fiction GmbH, LAVA – Laboratory for Visionary Architecture
Fabrication: NUSSLI Group

The Germany Pavilion presents the country as a campus in which ideas and innovations are exchanged. Impressive installations, interactive exhibits, and immersive spaces grab and hold visitors' attention while simultaneously educating them on sustainable German solutions for a better future.
PHOTO: AUSTRALIAN PAVILION
Australia Pavilion
Category: Best Large Pavilion
Design: Bureau Proberts
Fabrication: ASGC Group

From under the gleaming canopy of its cloud-inspired roof, the Australia Pavilion encapsulates the nation's optimism and creativity. It weaves ancient Indigenous know-how with modern discoveries and inventions through immersive storytelling and true Australian hospitality.
PHOTO: Thijs Wolzak
Netherlands Pavilion
Category: Best Medium Pavilion
Design: V8 Architects, Witteveen+Bos, Kossmanndejongs
Fabrication: Expomobilia, MCH Live Marketing Solutions AG

A physical representation of the country's desire to connect sustainable solutions in the areas of water, energy, and food, the Netherlands Pavilion was designed and built as a harvesting machine with its own microclimate system that unites and yields these three crucial elements.
PHOTO: Thijs Wolzak
UAE Pavilion
Category: Best XL Pavilion
Design: Santiago Calatrava
Fabrication: ALEC

The UAE Pavilion tells the story of the nation's transformation from a desert oasis to one of the most important economic hubs in the world. Amid sculptures, sand dunes, and a surreal 300-degree domed theater, guests are introduced to the country's people and their enduring spirit.
PHOTO: Andreas Keller, Keller Fotografie
Kazakhstan Pavilion
Category: Best Large Pavilion
Design: Insglück Gesellschaft für Markeninszenierung mbH
Fabrication: NUSSLI Group

The Kazakhstan Pavilion conjures the country's past via an artistic recreation of the Great Steppe, where mirrored walls create an endless sea of digital grass. Meanwhile, the Kazakhstan of today is represented via an interactive table and a "living map" of the capital city.
PHOTO: Simmetrico
Azerbaijan Pavilion
Category: Best Medium Pavilion
Design: Simmetrico
Fabrication: ASGC, Mint LLC, Carli Produzioni SrL

When entering the Azerbaijan Pavilion, guests are greeted by scenography that recalls a digital forest. Comprising installations, videos, sound recordings, augmented reality, and proximity sensors, attendees are able to activate all content without having to touch a single surface.
Photo: Paradigm Middle East
Qatar Pavilion
Category: Best Small Pavilion
Design: Santiago Calatrava, Calatrava International LLC; Paradigm & Partners, Paradigm Middle East Exhibitions and Events
Fabrication: ALEC Fitout

Conceptualized and built in just five months, the Qatar Pavilion represents a modern interpretation of the country's coat of arms. Inside, two galleries present a mosaic of museum-worthy exhibitry and impressionistic evocations positioning the country as ancient yet contemporary.
Photo: Boris Micka Associates, Saudi Aramco
Saudi Arabia Pavilion
Category: Best Exterior Design
Design: Boris Micka Associates, Kraftwerk Living Technologies, Dar Al-Handasah
Fabrication: ALEC, ALEC Fitout

The Saudi Arabia Pavilion stands as a minimalist, prismatic volume with simple lines representing a society that values beauty as the essence of all things. While digital messages scroll along the sides, the world's largest interactive LED screen graces the front faćade.
Photo: Thijs Wolzak
Netherlands Pavilion
Category: Best Sustainable Design
Design: V8 Architects, Witteveen+Bos, Kossmanndejong
Fabrication: Expomobilia, MCH Live Marketing Solutions AG

In addition to solar panels, a 60-foot-tall vertical farm, and technology that produces drinking water from the desert air, the Netherlands Pavilion was designed to leave no trace after Expo 2020 ends, as the 2,000 tons of steel used for its construction will be repurposed.
Photo: Simmetrico
Azerbaijan Pavilion
Category: Best Interpretation of Theme
Design: Simmetrico
Fabrication: ASGC, Mint LLC, Carli Produzioni SrL

Under the theme "Seeds of the Future," the Azerbaijan Pavilion's goal is to educate visitors about development programs in the country, which demonstrate how sustainable planning can help us face global challenges, from environmental protection to economic diversification.
Photo: Kestutis Vanagas
Lithuania Pavilion
Category: Best Small Pavilion
Design: Baukas MB
Fabrication: Arco Turnkey Solutions Contracting LLC

The Lithuania Pavilion, dubbed Openarium, greets visitors with a wooden facade decorated with Lithuanian-style shutters symbolizing openness. Meanwhile, innovation is at the heart of the pavilion, which displays numerous technologies illustrating that Lithuania is on the cutting edge.
Photo: Chris Goldstraw
Mobility Pavilion
Category: Best Exterior Design
Design: Forster + Partners
Fabrication: ALEC, ALEC Fitout

The ribbed, curved design of the Mobility Pavilion evokes movement, while its reflective stainless-steel cladding was inspired by chrome fenders and aircraft wings. Its concentric rings extend into the surrounding amphitheater and piazza, which hosts mobility-related performances.
PHOTO: Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Centre, LEC, WEB, PICO, and CDA
Malaysia Pavilion
Category: Best Sustainable Design
Design: Hijjas Architects and Planners, Design Integrated Architectural Engineering Consultant
Fabrication: Pico Malaysia, RAQ Contracting LLP

As a net-zero carbon structure, the Malaysia Pavilion made sustainability a top priority from initial design and build to its operational activities and dismantle. The country also committed to offsetting all greenhouse gases through forest management, tree planting, and verified carbon credits.
Photo: Presence Switzerland – FDFA
Switzerland Pavilion
Category: Best Interpretation of Theme
Design: OOS AG, Bellprat Partner AG, Lorenz Eugster Landschaftarchitekten und Städtebau GmbH
Fabrication: Expomobilia, MCH Live Marketing Solutions AG

Located in Expo 2020's Opportunity District, the Switzerland Pavilion expresses the Swiss values of inventiveness and openness. Dubbed "Reflections," the structure and its exhibitions encourage visitors to reflect upon themselves, other people, and how to shape our collective future.
Photo: Andreas Keller, Keller Fotografie
Japan Pavilion
Category: Best Presentation
Design: Yuko Nagayama, NTT Facilities, Murayama Inc., Tanseisha Co. Ltd.
Fabrication: NUSSLI Group

A highlight of the Japan Pavilion, the "Encountering Japan" presentation fuses multidimensional projections with a cool, superfine mist that spreads across the darkened room. The arresting experience becomes less of a traditional presentation and more of a memorable experience.
Photo: Emirates Pavilion
Emirates Airline Pavilion
Category: Best Activity/Interactive
Design: Pulse Group
Fabrication: Frozen Fish, CDC, WME

Emirates Airline's four-story pavilion is inspired by a plane's wings taking flight. A virtual-reality activation allows visitors to explore the aircraft cabin of the future, complete with robots, soundscapes, and a "windowless" option that creates the illusion of flying in an invisible craft.
Photo: CZEXPO
Czech Republic Pavilion
Category: Best Use of Technology
Design: Formosa AA s.r.o.
Fabrication: Pico International, Builmark Contracting LLC

The Czech Republic Pavilion's Solar Air Water Energy Resources (SAWER) system was developed by Czech scientists specifically for Expo 2020. The system produces 1,000 liters of water per day from the dry Dubai air, which is then used to irrigate an outdoor oasis.
Photo: Boris Micka Associates, Saudi Aramco
Saudi Arabia Pavilion
Category: Best Exhibit/Display
Design: Boris Micka Associates, Kraftwerk Living Technologies, Dar Al-Handasah
Fabrication: ALEC, ALEC Fitout

The audiovisual kaleidoscope inside the Saudi Arabia Pavilion comprises hypnotic images projected on a convex screen that are reflected in metallic textiles surrounding it. Meanwhile, a grid of overhead projectors paints the floor with graphics that react to visitors' movements.
Photo: USA Pavilion
USA Pavilion
Category: Best Presentation
Design: Thinkwell Group Inc., Woods Bagot Pty Ltd.
Fabrication: Mint Creative Production, Adirondack Studios

Carried out on a horizontal proscenium 39 feet over the audience, "The Sky is No Longer the Limit," the presentation in the USA Pavilion, explores bold ideas for creating the future, such as quantum computing, sustainable energy, and the democratization of outer space.
Photo: Presence Switzerland – FDFA
Switzerland Pavilion
Category: Best Activity/Interactive
Design: OOS AG, Bellprat Partner AG, Lorenz Eugster Landschaftarchitekten und Städtebau GmbH
Fabrication: Expomobilia, MCH Live Marketing Solutions AG

The Switzerland Pavilion brings an emotional and quintessentially Swiss activity to Expo 2020: hiking up a mountain. Visitors embark on a walking tour by traversing an inclined path through a sea of thick fog. As they arrive at the summit, guests are greeted by a spectacular mountain panorama.
Photo: Andreas Keller, Keller Fotografie
Japan Pavilion
Category: Best Use of Technology
Design: Yuko Nagayama, NTT Facilities, Murayama Inc., Tanseisha Co. Ltd.
Fabrication: NUSSLI Group

Within the Japan Pavilion, dynamic projections, light installations, and immersive audio fuse into tours tailored to guests' respective interests. Special smartphones with preinstalled software function as audio guides offering users choices that influence their experiences.
Photo: New Zealand Pavilion
New Zealand Pavilion
Category: Best Exhibit/Display
Design: Jasmax
Fabrication: Rice Perry Ellis & Partners, Rimond Middle East General Contracting, Turner & Townsend

A representation of the Whanganui River (which has the same legal rights as all Kiwis), the New Zealand Pavilion's River Room is a dark, contemplative space where 12-foot-tall sheets of falling water surround a large stone from Mount Tongariro, where the main stem of the river rises.
Photo: Andreas Keller, Keller Fotografie
Belarus Pavilion
Category: Elements & Details
Design: Khrystsina Vysotskaya, Aliaksandr Dranets, Yury Ulasik, Liudmila Vysotskaya, NUSSLI Group
Fabrication: NUSSLI Group

The Belarus Pavilion's Tree of Knowledge is a 30-foot-tall installation of handwoven textiles representing neural networks and mental connections. The work of art took nearly two years to complete, as it comprises more than 13,000 feet of Belarusian cotton threads.
Photo: Index Creative Village
Thailand Pavilion
Category: Editor's Choice
Design: Index Creative Village PLC, Design103 International Co. Ltd.
Fabrication: Index Creative Village PLC

The regal Thailand Pavilion takes on a festive vibe at night, courtesy of color-shifting light shows. Inside, a trio of presentations incorporate fountains, 4D effects, and a fully immersive 360-degree theater to recount Thai history and the nation's hopes for the future.
Photo: Gold Line Art Production
Egypt Pavilion
Category: People's Choice
Design: United Group
Fabrication: United Group Systems

The Egypt Pavilion takes visitors on a 5,000-year journey from King Menes all the way to the country's visions for 2030. Highlights include a kinetic temple wall, the hand-painted coffin of an ancient Egyptian priest, and a 4D time machine that teleports guests to the Great Pyramids.
Photo: 3rd Floor
Brazil Pavilion
Category: Elements & Details
Design: JPG.ARQ, MMBB Arquitetos, BEN-AVID
Fabrication: Pico International LLC, QA Construct LLC, Pico Production Ltd.

The Brazil Pavilion's lightweight exterior membrane houses an interior "water plaza" where visitors can wade, wander, and watch as 125 projectors turn the semitranslucent fabric into a dazzling display of Brazilian beaches, stunning waterfalls, festive cultural events, and more.
Photo: Andreas Keller, Keller Fotografie
Brazil Pavilion
Category: Editor's Choice
Design: Metaform, Jangled Nerves
Fabrication: NUSSLI Group

The Luxembourg Pavilion's design was inspired by a Mobius Strip – an infinite, twisted loop with no beginning and no end. Guests walk the circumference of the space while passing exhibits along an inclined spiral before being invited to slide down to the ground level in a silver tube.
Photo: C.P. Kukreja Architects
India Pavilion
Category: People's Choice
Design: C.P. Kukreja Architects
Fabrication: M/S City Diamond Contracting LLC

Boasting 94,000 square feet, the India Pavilion is among the largest at Expo 2020. Clad in 600 kinetic blocks, the structure's facade recounts 75 stories through sound, motion, and projection. Inside, immersive displays showcase India's culture, heritage, and colorful spirit.
EXHIBITOR Magazine's World Expo Award Winners
Below are the winners and honorable mentions in each of the 14 categories of EXHIBITOR Magazine's World Expo Awards competition.

Best XL Pavilion: Saudi Arabia Pavilion
Honorable Mentions: Germany Pavilion, UAE Pavilion

Best Large Pavilion: Poland Pavilion
Honorable Mentions: Australia Pavilion, Kazakhstan Pavilion

Best Medium Pavilion: Switzerland Pavilion
Honorable Mentions: Netherlands Pavilion, Azerbaijan Pavilion

Best Small Pavilion: Vision Pavilion
Honorable Mentions: Qatar Pavilion, Lithuania Pavilion

Best Exterior Design: UAE Pavilion
Honorable Mentions: Saudi Arabia Pavilion, Mobility Pavilion

Best Sustainable Design: Austria Pavilion
Honorable Mentions: Netherlands Pavilion, Malaysia Pavilion

Best Interpretation of Theme: Netherlands Pavilion
Honorable Mentions: Azerbaijan Pavilion, Switzerland Pavilion

Best Presentation: Kazakhstan Pavilion (AI-Controlled Flight)
Honorable Mentions: Japan Pavilion (Encountering Japan), USA Pavilion (The Sky is No Longer the Limit)

Best Activity/Interactive: Spain Pavilion (The Forest of Intelligence)
Honorable Mentions: Emirates Airline Pavilion (Experience Your Tomorrow), Switzerland Pavilion (Sea of Fog)

Best Use of Technology: Al Wasl Plaza (Dome Projection)
Honorable Mentions: Czech Republic Pavilion (SAWER System), Japan Pavilion (Smartphone Integration)

Best Exhibit/Display: Opportunity Pavilion (Inverted Forest)
Honorable Mentions: Saudi Arabia Pavilion (Audiovisual Kaleidoscope), New Zealand Pavilion (The River Room)

Best Elements/Details: Italy Pavilion (3D-Printed Statue)
Honorable Mentions: Belarus Pavilion (Tree of Knowledge), Brazil Pavilion (Exterior Membrane)

Editor's Choice Award: Germany Pavilion
Honorable Mentions: Thailand Pavilion, Luxembourg Pavilion

People's Choice Award: Peru Pavilion
Honorable Mentions: Egypt Pavilion, India Pavilion
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