Expo 2020 Dubai: Extreme Place-making
As Expo 2020 opens in Dubai, the first world fair ever to be held in the Middle East, visitors experience a stunning array of innovations, beginning with the marvel of the Expo itself— a 1.7-square-mile site accommodating distinctive pavilions from nearly 200 countries. SWA Group’s design of the major public open spaces – the site’s extraordinary plazas, parks, and connecting pathways – exemplify how the experience of the public realm can be enhanced while mitigating extreme climate conditions.
Client
Expo 2020 https://www.expo2020dubai.com
My Role
Landscape Design, Urban Design
Timeline
2017 - 2021
Working closely with the Expo team, SWA created a landscape that literally grounds the event in a compelling evocation of Dubai’s culture while also uniting the diverse architectural expressions of the pavilions. Public spaces are designed to provide an inspired setting for the event as well as an enduring structure for its legacy as Dubai’s future innovation district.
The design of the public open spaces offers an exciting way to reveal the magic of Dubai to the world. The sequence of spaces, the palette of native plant materials, the cultural resonance of the geometric paving patterns, the integration of art and innovative construction— all combine to offer enchantment as well as wayfinding and respite between pavilions.
With millions of visitors expected, the site has to accommodate the movement of crowds yet also offer smaller nooks comfortable for individuals. The resulting series of spaces allows visitors to encounter the distinctive characteristics—cultural and environmental—of Dubai at this moment when it welcomes the world.
