Spotlight on Dubai
1st October 2021 – 31st March 2022, the period when Dubai became the center of the world. Over a period of six months, all the countries in the world were under one roof in Dubai and it was quite the spectacle.
Every nation showcased to the world what it has to offer in a variety of sectors, including technology, science, culture, food, engineering, and more. This international event brought together innovation, technology, art, and culture to create an experience that will never be forgotten. The world made a point of being present to exchange ideas. It rose to become one of the best examples of global creativity, cooperation, and collaboration that catered to every need, attitude, age, and interest.
Connecting Minds, Creating the Future
Providing 192 nations, ranging in size from the smallest country in the world, Vatican City (Holy See Pavilion), to the largest country in the world, Russia, a platform on such a great scale was an amazing accomplishment in and of itself. In keeping with the Expo’s motto, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, it connected minds from many nations, cultures, traditions, and backgrounds to develop cutting-edge, innovative ideas and solutions in a variety of industries.
The success of Expo 2020 is even more astounding and nearly unfathomable when viewed against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic but this is what Dubai is known for. Taking up massive projects, building the necessary infrastructure, overcoming the odds and astonishing the world.
Three Districts of Expo 2020
Three primary districts, each named after one of the three sub-themes of Expo 2020 Dubai, were divided across the vast Expo 2020 Dubai site: Mobility, Opportunity, and Sustainability.
These three areas spread out like fingers from the “palm” of Al Wasl Plaza, the biggest single-span dome in the world. Al Wasl is a deliberate pun that alludes to both the Expo’s theme and the host city because it means “connection” and is also the name by which Dubai was known historically. Participating nations were requested to select one of the three sub-themes after the masterplan was finished in 2017, as this would define where their pavilion will go. Nations might construct their own independent pavilions or modify prefabricated cubes.
Each of the three districts features a “signature” pavilion created by renowned architects that conveys cutting-edge concepts through expressive architectural language. Sustainability is a subject that never goes out of style. Our entire effort is needed to change the environmental paradigm we are currently living in before it is too late. The beautiful “Terra” canopy is a 130-meter-wide structure with 1,055 solar panels on it. Due to its similarity to the enormous radio frequency receiver from the well-known movie of the same name, the structure is known as “Contact” and is an example of sustainable architecture that aspires for net zero water and energy use.
What happens to the Expo Center Now?
The Post-Event Preparation is yet another aspect of Expo 2020 Dubai that is fascinating from a planning and design standpoint. Expo 2020 intends to maintain at least two-thirds of the buildings for use after the event, in contrast to past Expos where pavilions and the majority of structures were constructed solely for the period of the events. The Expo 2020 site will become “District 2020”, a top-tier innovation hub for start-ups and global players in cutting-edge technology.
Personal Experience
I personally visited Expo 2020 four times. However, none of the visits felt repetitive or unoriginal. Each visit was a new experience because there was so much to explore, discover and experience. To me among the many highlights, my personal favorite was the street music. The atmosphere they created among the many “pockets” of stages while walking through the streets was incredible. The only regret is that I wish I had visited it more.
Expo figures and Conclusion
Here are some facts about Expo2020. These are the figures from the official website.
There was a whopping 24.1 Million visits from 178 countries, 30.3% visits came from overseas. 107,000 visits were from people of determinations.
This was one place fully dedicated to the people. The expo world was full of massive walkable districts with greenery, history, entertainment, arts, and culture.
Dubai Expo 2020 established a new standard for the integration of technology, culture, entertainment, and education. Dubai Expo 2020 offered a sample of everything. It presented the taste of all worlds. It enabled us to take in the sights, sounds, tastes, and atmosphere of various nations on this world. Here’s hoping Dubai brings us expo again.