A symbolic Wingbeat
UAE Pavilion at Expo Dubai by Santiago Calatrava
© Palladium Photodesign - Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg
Santiago Calatrava, an architect and engineer possessing great technical acumen and a penchant for futuristic-looking, organic shapes, has made his mark yet again. For the Expo 2020 pavilion of the United Arab Emirates, he was again inspired by natural structures. This time, his idea is based on the falcon, the UAE’s majestic heraldic animal.
© Palladium Photodesign - Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg
Twenty-eight moveable wings form the roof of the pavilion. In just three minutes, these can be completely opened and positioned at an angle between 110 and 125 degrees. When open, the wings reveal a surface grid of photovoltaic panels. The panels are designed to absorb the greatest possible amount of sunlight in order to obtain energy that is then stored in the main power network. When closed, the wings, which are suspended radially from an annular steel joist in the vertex of the roof, protect the PV modules from rain and sand storms.
On top of the steel structure rests a skylight whose figurative pattern is intended to reflect the shape of the Expo logo. Directly beneath the skylight, there is a spherical auditorium; with a specialist lifting platform, up to 200 people are transported upwards as they embark on a virtual journey through the history and development of the United Arab Emirates.
© Palladium Photodesign - Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg
Santiago Calatrava sees a “symbol of the UAE’s pioneering spirit and ambition” in his pavilion. The pavilion’s area of 15 000 m² and height of just under 28 m underscores this claim. The pavilion was designed to meet the highest sustainability standards and has been distinguished with the LEED Platinum certification. Naturally, this makes it a perfect representative for Expo 2020 in Dubai, which had to be postponed by one year.
© Palladium Photodesign - Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg
© Blind Bli© Palladium Photodesign - Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burgndersen
Architecture: Santiago Calatrava
Location: Dubai (AE)
Gallery
These articles might also interest you
-
Traditionspflege mit Fertigteilen
Upholding Tradition with Prefabricated Parts: Moroccan Expo Pavilion by Oualalou + Choi
Als „gestapeltes Dorf“ haben Oualalou + Choi den marokkanischen Expo-Pavillon in Dubai konzipiert – und dafür eine Fassade aus großformatigen Stampflehm-Fertigteilen entwickelt.
-
Reflective building envelope
MVRDV’s Depot for Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam
It is impossible to overlook the bowl-shaped mirrored building set by MVRDV for Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in the Museum Park in Rotterdam. But the interior and rooftop forest are also worth a visit.
-
Building bionics
UAE Pavilion by Santiago Calatrava
28 movable wings form the roof of Santiago Calatrava's UAE Pavilion for Expo 2020 in Dubai.