Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Designed by HOK and Populous, the master plan for Dubai Expo 2020 looks to the future while celebrating traditional Emirati culture and community.
Delayed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Expo has now opened and displays works and pavilions from 192 countries under the theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.”
Its sub-themes include: “Opportunity, Mobility, and Sustainability.”
HOK served as the lead designer for the master planning team that created the 1,000-plus acre layout for this quinquennial global summit that is expected to bring 25 million visitors to the United Arab Emirates.
The 1,082-acre (438-hectare) Expo site is on the southwestern edge of Dubai in Jebel Ali, near Dubai’s new Al Maktoum International Airport and Jebel Ali Port.
Dubai Expo Pavilions are a ticket to experience the unique culture, innovations, and architectural marvels of the participating countries.
The Master Plan design features three pavilions symbolizing opportunity, sustainability, and mobility, while two other thematic districts are designed by world-renowned studios: the Sustainability Pavilion “Terra” by Grimshaw Architects and the Mobility Pavilion “Alif” by Foster + Partners.
These three zones emanate from a central plaza named the “Al Wasl,” the historic Arab name for Dubai meaning “the connection.”
Inspired by the layout of a traditional Arabic “souk,” or marketplace, the design places larger pavilions on the perimeter while smaller exhibit spaces cluster toward the center to aid pedestrian flow and interaction.
The HOK and Populous team planned the Expo site to serve as a sustainable benchmark for events in the Middle East.
An iconic photovoltaic fabric structure covers the main walkways, acting as a solar-powered sun shade and combining with photovoltaic panels on building facades to capture enough sunlight to generate at least half of the Expo’s energy requirements.
At night, the fabric will be transformed into an illuminated display of lights and digital projections.
Smaller connective streets will be shaded through the use of pavilions and strategic landscaping.
The alternative transportation plan includes a gondola that links each of the thematic zones and the central plaza.
Other sustainable strategies include recycling wastewater, reusing materials, and monitoring the Expo’s carbon footprint.
HOK’s design creates a sphere of revolutionary minds to bridge the gap between the present and future with transformational ideas.
Project: Dubai Expo 2020 Master Plan
Architects: HOK and Populous
HOK Design Team: Daniel Hajjar and Tim Gale
Populous Design Team: Christopher Lee and Shireen Hamdan
Client: Bureau of International Expositions (BIE)