UAE Expo 2020 Pavilion – Santiago Calatrava
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The UAE Minister of State and National Media Council Chairman H.E. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber explained how this figurative symbolism was exactly the intent of the organizing committee. He mentioned how Dubai’s founding father used falconry expeditions to connect the different tribes and enhance the communication among them, this created “a distinct national identity which ultimately led to the founding of the United Arab Emirates.” The idea underlining most of 2020 Expo seems that of including high tech facilities and innovative technologies within an historical legacy.
If Dubai has always been known for its millionaire investments and urban development Expo 2020 really seems to be an opportunity to underline Dubai and the Emirates’ rich historical culture, and the importance to build the future on the past. Thus, the concept of explicitly building an iconic structure will remind the expo visitors of the history and geography of Dubai, while informing them about futuristic themes.
The UAE Pavilion will be connected to the main theme pavilions: opportunity, mobility, and sustainability, whose projects will be designed respectively by BIG, Foster & Partners, and Grimshaw.
Daria Ricchi
Daria Ricchi is an architectural historian and writer. She is currently visiting fellow at Oxford University, UK.
She has a Ph.D. in history and theory of architecture from Princeton University. She has taught at Princeton University, Yale University, and Parson. The New School, New York.
She published widely in scholarly and non-scholarly magazines (area, casamica- il corriere della sera, Low-Res, Pidgin, Threshold, AA Files).
