The Expo 2020 in Dubai was a revolutionary edition held for the first time in the Middle East Region, especially after the pandemic onset. It was and is a celebration of human achievements and a promising future ahead – where the whole world got together for the show like no other.

The main theme of this Expo 2020 was – connecting minds and creating a future through opportunity, sustainability, and opportunity. So, several countries have joined in this Expo 2020 edition, which created a fresh air of excitement to create a better and brighter future.

One of the central visions of this edition is technological advancements. The innovation showcased at the show has shown the potential to step toward futuristic solutions in different aspects, from artificial intelligence to sustainable energy.

All the countries that participated in this Expo had their pavilion. Below are the three signature pavilions that have harmoniously shown their cultural essence and technological progress.

1. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Apart from being the largest pavilion, the Saudi pavilion turned several heads by bagging an award for the ‘Best Pavilion’ category, two honorary awards, and three Guinness World Records.

This pavilion was specially designed to reflect the kingdom’s past, present, and future – and it stood over its vision. The brilliance behind this excellence is Boris Micka Associates.

The Past –

After the pavilion entrance, a large 68 square meters curved screen is installed. Their unique cultural heritage is showcased, including Farasan Island, Tabuk Mountains, The Red Sea, Wadi Al-Barzani, and others.

Another highlight of the pavilion is showcases of UNESCO-registered sites that include the historic center of Jeddah, Al-Ahsa Oasis, rock arts in the Hail region, and others.

The Present and Future –

Electric windows were installed to showcase the present and what the future embodies for Saudi Arabia to display scenography crystals that display their outstanding and environmentally friendly projects focused on their vision of 2030.

Including that, it was also a platform for building partnerships and investment opportunities in different sectors.

On the whole, this pavilion inspires Saudis, especially the youth, to build a better tomorrow.

2. Alif – The Mobility Pavilion

This pavilion is named after the first alphabet of Arabic – which symbolizes the beginning of new horizons and progress.

Alif pavilion was specially designed with the vision to break down the bridge between the physical and digital worlds. For achieving this, the Expo 2020 team has gathered Weta workshop from New Zealand, Magnopus visual development studio LA and Barker Langham global cultural consultancy – who created a three-part story that depicts human imagination, vision, and achievements in terms of mobility.

It is designed in a curved shape to depict the movement and highly reflective stainless-steel cladding inspired by fenders and aircraft wings to reflect movement as well. In addition to that, the visible lines of building large portray how we are connected and yet physically apart.

This architectural masterpiece is built partly underground and partly open-air over a 330-meter track.

The main highlights of this pavilion included immersive virtual installation, the nine-meter-tall giant of early explorers from 15th century Arab civilization, and the world’s largest passenger lift that can transport 160 people at once.

Overall, this pavilion showcases the futuristic mobility options that significantly improve our quality of life.

3. The State of Palestine

The state of Palestine pavilion provided us with ground-breaking and eye-catching at the same time.

It is specially designed to savour the rich culture and everlasting heritage by taking the visitors through a time journey and experiencing the magic through every one of the five senses.

Unlike many other pavilions in the Expo 2020, the Palestine pavilion mainly focuses on cultural aspects. In addition to that, it showcases the developments in technology, business, education, and art.

The visitors start by moving through the halls of the pavilion designed to depict the replicas of Jerusalem and the old streets and narrow alleyways, and decorative arches of Palestine. They move through the opportunities in different sections, including olive-wood goods, cement, textiles, and delicious snacks from their cuisine.

After that, you can don a virtual-reality headset that ensures the immersive experience of the buzzing streets of Jerusalem from the Dome of the Rock to the Church of Holy Sepulcher, which brings the whole experience together.

Overall, the Palestine pavilion reflects deep historic land and its amazing progress into the future. It also showcased an open door for many technological opportunities and investments.

Final Thoughts

The Expo 2020 Dubai has been a remarkable collaboration in scale and innovation. This event has become a good opportunity for several countries to breathe the fresh air of positiveness after the pandemic.

In terms of scale, thought-provoking innovation, and creative architecture, this Expo will remain the best and most remarkable. This event has shown what we can achieve, from artificial intelligence to innovation in more sustainable ways. This event has allowed businesses to explore more horizons and experience stipulated benefits.

Finally, the visitors had an opportunity to explore heritages across the world and come together to learn to live a better, in-directed, and sustained life.