russia pavilion at expo 2020 celebrates unstoppable human progress

colorful waves of bent lines echo russian avant-garde

the building’s façades are made from a multiplicity of intertwined, thread-like pipes of different colors that express the ideas of movement, development of meanings and knowledge, orientation on the future, and the harmonious co-existence of energies and phenomena of very diverse kinds. the motif of lines of different colors outlining the pavilion refers, says architect sergei tchoban, to the tradition of the russian avant-garde and the ‘exprimatic’ method – the use of a free treatment of line to generate new forms – invented by constructivist architect yakov chernikhov.

the pavilion is surrounded by a pool of water to maintain a comfortable microclimate and act a reflective surface

the ‘threads’ are made from aluminium tubes with a diameter of 8 cm, which are bent at different angles and braid the volume of the pavilion in several directions. the total length of these elements is 46 km, the total number of segments is more than 1000. after the tubes were manufactured and bent to the definite angles with the help of specially designed equipment, they were coated with a colored polymer composition that reliably protects aluminium from burning out in the sun. 6 different shades of color were used in the project, which, due to the countless number of combinations on the surface of the façade, form a multicolored palette of lines. 

the motif of lines of different colors refers to the tradition of the russian avant-garde

with a total floor area of more than 3600 sqm, the pavilion has three main storeys and two mezzanine levels. this has made it possible to organize all the functions required: exhibition halls, cafés and restaurants, and spaces for business meetings. furthermore, the compositional idea of two domes placed one inside the other makes it possible to satisfy the main climatic requirement for such a building in the UAE; the complex must have a comfortable and shaded waiting area. abutting this are space for temporary exhibitions, a restaurant, a souvenir shop, and a multi-height hall with escalators and lifts leading to the main exhibition level.

the russia pavilion at expo 2020 is located in the mobility district

the larger of the two domes forms an exhibition space with an attached vip room, a conference centre (equipped with viewing terraces), and meeting rooms that provide ideal conditions for doing business over the entire course of the exhibition. as a final touch, the pavilion is surrounded by a decorative pool of water which helps maintain a comfortable microclimate around the building and serves as a gigantic mirror reflecting the pavilion. 

the domes create the image of a planet to symbolize wholeness and universality

paying tribute to russian scientists and the human mind

the central part of the exhibition is the immersive performance ‘the mechanics of wonder’ created and completed by konstantin petrov and his team at simpateka entertainment group in moscow. ‘science is international. it happens sometimes that a breakthrough idea travels a lot before turning into a useful technology somewhere beyond its birthplace. the exposition brings attention to the creative efforts of generations of russian scientists and engineers and their contribution to the betterment of the world. this exposition pays tribute to the human brain. it is the science of the brain that will bring us the most important discoveries of the 21st century,’  shares petrov. 

the 7.5-meter-long and 5.5-meter-high art object is located on the third floor of the pavilion – seemingly floating in a 13.5-meter-high space. a separate part of the pavilion’s exposition is reserved for representative offices of russian technology corporations that use various applied versions of artificial intelligence in their activities.

the pavilion has three main stories and two mezzanine levels

detail view of the colorful piping elements

the ‘threads’ are made from bent aluminium tubes with a diameter of 8 cm

project info:

project title: creative mind: driving the future
client: minpromtorg (ministry of trade and industry of russia)
project authors: sergei tchoban, igor chlenov, aleksey ilin

architectural design: sergei tchoban / SPEECH
architects: marina kuznetskaya, anton chernyshev, darya krotkova
pavilion and exhibition design: konstantin petrov / simpateka entertainment group
contractor: crocus group
façade: inventure
floor area: 3,630 sqm
area of terraces: 151 sqm
total height: 26.75 m
height of small dome: 10.6 m

height of exhibition dome:14.37 m
diameter of building: 37 m
diameter of small dome: 19.7 m
diameter of exhibition dome: 36.4 m
photography: roland halbe, ilya ivanov

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom