expo 2020 dubai: grimshaw plans sustainability pavilion

in march 2016, designs were revealed for three of the largest pavilions to be erected for expo 2020 dubai. alongside designs from BIG and foster + partners, grimshaw presented plans for the ‘sustainability pavilion’, a structure designed to offer an immersive, educational, and engaging experience for the global event’s expected 25 million visitors.

all images © grimshaw

speaking at abu dhabi sustainability week, grimshaw has now unveiled revised images and features of the pavilion, which is set to open at expo 2020 on october 20, 2020. the practice is lead designer and architect of the pavilion, and is working with a multi-disciplinary team that comprises engineers BuroHappold, exhibition designers thinc, and an advisory group that includes sir tim smit, founder of the eden project, and dennis bushnell, chief scientist from NASA langley research center.

flora from the region is embraced as a key feature of the overall exhibition design

conceived as a celebration of ecology, sustainable technologies, and design, the sustainability pavilion will be a working demonstration of the effectiveness of solar energy, water harvesting, and material optimization. the design is organized around a central building that offers 8,000 square meters of exhibition space, an auditorium, a courtyard, and a reservoir. an over-arching roof structure not only provides shade, but also generates power with large photovoltaic panels drawing energy from the sun.

an over-arching roof structure not only provides shade, but also generates energy

a series of ‘energy trees’ surround the main pavilion, tracking the sun and harvesting additional energy. the pavilion’s landscaping and walkways, which closely reference the wadi riverbeds, meander around the performance spaces, while flora from the region is embraced as a key feature of the overall exhibition design. after the expo closes in april 2021, the permanent pavilion will live on as a science ‘exploratorium’.

the expo begins in october, 2020 and remains open until april 2021

‘we are pleased to be showcasing the design of the sustainability pavilion at abu dhabi sustainability week, as well as engaging in public discussion on the need to inspire current and future generations on the importance of protecting our planet, and how we can use innovation in science and design to achieve this,’ says grimshaw’s deputy chairman, andrew whalley. ‘the commitment to sustainability from the region is sincere and we look forward to delivering the client’s aspirational vision for an energy-neutral pavilion at the next world expo in dubai.’

see designboom’s ongoing coverage of the 2020 expo here.

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