explore brazil's lush forests in cactus' 360° exhibit at expo 2020 dubai

brazilian rainforests in dubai

multidisciplinary design studio cactus has created an immersive 360° installation for the brazilian pavilion at the expo 2020 dubai. taking advantage of their technological and design expertise, the team has used projectio n mapping and purpose-built architecture to generate a nature-evoking experience, transporting visitors to brazil’s forests, canyons, and beaches through larger-than-life visual projections. the installation will be available from october 1, 2021, to march 31, 2022.

the exterior of the brazilian exhibit, covered with projections of brazilian rainforests

all images courtesy of cactus

a one-of-a-kind sensory experience

created in collaboration with prominent brazilian architects, the exhibit by cactus (find more here) offers attendees a shady refuge away from the hot dubai desert. stepping through a shallow reflective pool beneath the 24,800 sqft (2,304 sqm) enclosure, visitors are introduced to a one-of-a-kind sensory experience: from the walls to the floor and ceiling, guests are surrounded by over 60,000 sqft (5,574 sqm) of vibrant videos, wrapped up by the sights and sounds of the amazon rainforest. when the sun sets, the exterior of the installation turns into a luminous cube of images, traversing through brazil’s diverse landscapes. ‘we want the world to see and feel the beauty and intricacies of the country we call home,’ explains marcelo pontes, head of architecture for cactus.

the exterior of the brazilian exhibit – a luminous cube

a resistant digital canvas

in order to realize the installation, cactus had to find a projectable and weather-resistant translucent fabric to illuminate the videos of brazil’s natural landscapes, while keeping in mind the expo’s theme of sustainability and biodiversity. having these conditions in mind, the studio partnered with serge ferrari group to develop a custom fabric, which is extremely sturdy, highly tensile, and tear-resistant. as a result, the installation is able to withstand sandstorms, windstorms, and other challenging elements of desert life. in addition, the textile’s consistent color translucency makes it ideal for high-quality digital projections viewed from both inside and outside the pavilion.

with the ‘digital canvas’ in place, cactus went on to construct an elaborate display system of 140+ projectors and custom selected media servers that seamlessly map over 2 billion pixels per second of content on all sides of the enclosure. all these technical components are seamlessly integrated into the installation, never intruding into the viewer’s visual field.

side view of the installation

pulling visitors away from their phones

the resulting installation showcases a human-centric design, highlighting the confluence of physical-meets-digital with a fully immersive experience that considers both the built environment and the necessity of technology for delivery. ‘this project is a culmination of everything we love doing and believe we need more of in this world — getting people out of their phones and into their lives, experiencing wonder in a way that is memorable, sensory, and highly entertaining and engaging,’ shares lucas werthein, head of technology for cactus.