zaha hadid unveils masterplan of dismantlable pavilions for ODESA EXPO 2030 in ukraine

zaha hadid architects propose ODESA EXPO 2030 masterplan

Zaha Hadid Architects has joined the delegation representing the Ukrainian city of Odesa at the 171st General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris to present the ODESA EXPO 2030 bid. The renowned architecture firm is proposing a heritage-focused masterplan, for four pavilions that can be dismantled at the end of the exhibition and reused throughout Ukraine as new municipal buildings. In this way, the proposal addresses a challenge shared by all exhibitions with major public events around the world: to create an Expo of the future where nothing is wasted.

‘In a city that has always been multinational and multicultural, a city of diversity with ancient connections throughout the world, when you visit Ukraine and our Odesa in 2030, you will feel the power and culture of not just one country and one city… you will feel the potential of all humanity.’ shares Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine.

bird-eye view rendering of the ODESA EXPO 2030 masterplan | image courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects (head image courtesy of NORVISKA)

dismountable pavilions from a kit-of-parts

‘ODESA EXPO 2030 is designed first and foremost with legacy in mind.’ explains Zaha Hadid Architects (find more here). The master plan focuses on a group of four central pavilions that can be taken apart and reinstalled as new urban buildings in Ukraine. After the Expo, the large pavilions can be used to create 80,000 sqm of flexible exhibition halls for trade shows and events, adjacent to the Expo’s conference center and hotel. The structures can be completely removed so that the entire site can be returned to nature, with restored wetlands integrated into this new coastal eco-park near the city center.

The Expo will offer participating nations the opportunity to assemble their pavilions from a building kit with a flexible modular system. Nations will be provided with many different options and encouraged to use practical, creative and visitor-friendly principles that will allow them to individually reinterpret the overarching theme of EXPO 2030 through their unique cultural expression. Through a digital configurator tool, participating countries will be able to select and connect components to build their pavilion and customize the façade design. Each modular component will account for approximately 25% of the 1,600 square meter footprint of a standard pavilion and can be combined with a variety of other modular elements to create the desired exhibition space for each country.

the organic pavilions can be dismantled and reused throughout Ukraine | image courtesy of MIR

social and creative structure reuse

After EXPO 2030 closes, individual participants can transport their modules to their home countries. They can also donate the components of their pavilion to be shipped and reassembled throughout Ukraine for reuse as kindergartens, schools, medical clinics, or subsidized studios and workspaces for Ukraine’s creative and digital industries. The modules were designed to fit into barges transporting goods on the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Dnipro River. They can be easily delivered to Ukraine’s major cities, where they will be reused as civic and social infrastructure for communities across the country.

the large pavilions can be used to create 80,000 sqm of flexible exhibition halls for trade shows and events | image courtesy of MIR

focusing on modularity and sustainability

By introducing modularity with digital design and manufacturing methods, this system by Zaha Hadid Architects ensures that EXPO 2030 pavilions can be manufactured quickly and economically by the local supply chain in Ukraine. The proposal also ensures that each pavilion can be installed, disassembled, shipped, and reinstalled in a fast and efficient process. Combined with the manufacturing and digital expertise available in Ukraine, this modular system can help build future-proof local construction companies across the country.

In addition, ODESA EXPO 2030 will minimize the use of concrete by making extensive use of recycled materials from damaged and demolished buildings in southern Ukraine. Renewable energy will be integrated into the design of the pavilions, including photovoltaics on all roofs, while wind turbines connected to the EXPO 2030 microgrid will contribute to an energy-positive site that not only meets its own energy needs but also provides renewable energy to the local community.

the proposed structure present an organic form that integrates into the surroundings seamlessly | image courtesy of MIR 

the flexible modular system will provide participating nations many varying options to design their pavilion

project info: 

name: ODESA EXPO 2030

architects: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
ZHA Project Director: Manuela Gatto
ZHA Project Associate: Yevgeniya Pozigun
ZHA Project Leads: Thomas Bagnoli
ZHA Project Team: Ghanem Younes, Yun Yu Huang, Malek Pierre Arif, Zixin Ye, Catherine McCann, Jose Pareja-Gomez, Delyan Georgiev, Bowen Miao, Vera Kichanova, Yaniv Hatiel

client: NGO ‘Civic Council of the EXPO 2030 Odesa’

general contractor for dossier development: CIVITTA
designer of the dossier: TopLead
masterplan concept and design visualisation: Zaha Hadid Architects
venue planning: Lord Cultural Resources
landscape design: West 8
on-site transportation and mobility: Cundall
sustainability: Atelier Ten
urban planning: Public Urbanism Personal Architecture
smart expo strategy: Jaanika Merylo, Atelier Ten
preliminary concept development: Gres Todorchuk
EXPO theme ideation and conceptualization: Gerd Leonard
communication strategy development: GN Consulting
modularity studies: ZHA CODE