Centrepiece pavilion opened at Dubai Expo 2020 site

Terra - The Sustainability Pavilion, one of Dubai Expo 2020’s signature experiences, has been opened to the public, giving visitors a glimpse of what the full event will look like when it opens in October.

Operating as part of a limited-time opportunity until 10th April 2021, organisers are hoping the US$272 million venue will draw 3,000 to 5,000 people a day.

With Expo 2020 scheduled to have an official opening on 1st October after being postponed from last year due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Reem Al Hashimy, Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau and UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, stated “we are delighted to start 2021 on such a positive note as we welcome the UAE community to be the first to experience Terra - The Sustainability Pavilion at a moment in our history that is unparalleled in terms of its impact on humanity.

“This period of rapid, unprecedented change has brought with it a pressing need to rethink the way we exist, and is further accelerated by a global health crisis that has touched each and every individual on Earth. While 2020 may be remembered as a year that changed us forever, it has also given us a tremendous opportunity to come together as a global society and find answers to our most pressing challenges.”

The pavilion, designed by Grimshaw Architects, is seen as setting an example for sustainable building design. Built to be net-zero for both energy and water, it features 1,055 photovoltaic panels arranged on a 130-metre-wide roof canopy and atop a series of ‘Energy Trees’.

The pavilion also uses state-of-the-art water-reduction strategies, water recycling and alternative water sources.

Marjan Faraidooni, Expo 2020 Dubai’s Chief Experience Officer, said Expo 2020 aims to be one of the most sustainable World Expos in history, adding “showcasing the opportunities that unite us and how we can work together to create positive change, Expo 2020 will empower visitors of all nationalities, ages and interests to make more sustainable choices in their own lives.”