Pavilion designed by Santiago Calatrava at Expo 2020 in Dubai

Santiago Calatrava designed the UAE pavilion in the shape of a flying falcon wing. The building corresponds to the theme of the exhibition “Uniting minds, creating the future» and symbolizes the innovative spirit of the country.

Ekaterina Karpukhina

Photo: © Palladium Photodesign. Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg

In early October, the Expo 2020 World Exhibition opened in Dubai, which was not held last year due to the pandemic. The central pavilion of the host country was designed by Spanish-Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava. Its construction is located in the center of the exhibition area to welcome visitors to the global event.

Photo: © Palladium Photodesign. Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg

The UAE Pavilion embodies the main theme of Expo 2020 — “Uniting minds, creating the future”, and also serves as a symbol of the innovative spirit of the country. Its design is inspired by the shape of the wing of a flying falcon, which is also depicted on the coat of arms of the UAE.

Photo: © Palladium Photodesign. Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg

The four-story building is topped with a series of locally made carbon fiber “wings” that can be folded to hide the solar panels on the roof. According to the architects, the wings can fully open in just three minutes.

EXPO 2020 Dubai, UAE Pavilion, Architect Santiago CalatravaBarbara Burg + Oliver Schuh

Photo: © Palladium Photodesign. Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg

In the center of the 15,000 m2 pavilion is a spherical void, which is an auditorium that can accommodate up to 200 people. It is surrounded by a multi-level meeting space, which is topped with a round skylight with the Expo 2020 logo. The rest of the building houses a series of immersive exhibits dedicated to the history and future of the country.

“The UAE Pavilion offers visitors the opportunity to explore the history and future of the United Arab Emirates — from the origins to a prosperous present and a visionary future,” commented the Santiago Calatrava bureau.

Pavilion designed by Santiago Calatrava at Expo 2020 in Dubai

In accordance with the theme of sustainable development of Expo 2020, the pavilion was certified according to the LEED Platinum system and complies with the norms and requirements of environmental construction in Dubai.