Tech-driven Qatar Pavilion key attraction at Expo 2020

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Welcoming visitors from around the globe, Sultan Bin Rashid Al Khater, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, inaugurated the Qatar Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai on October 1. The opening was attended by General Commissioners from GCC participating countries and a number of dignitaries, officials and partners.

Following the inauguration, he toured the Qatar Pavilion which highlights the country’s achievements across various fields, showcases the most pioneering projects that are being developed in accordance with the National Vision 2030, and spotlights Qatar as the upcoming host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He also visited the pavilions of participating GCC countries, where each country’s most prominent achievements were showcased.

The Qatar Pavilion was designed by internationally-renowned architect, Santiago Calatrava, who represented a modern interpretation of the four elements presented in the Coat of Arms of Qatar. Its architectural composition draws inspiration from the two crossed and curved swords, encompassing a dhow and island with two palm trees, that are at the core of the national emblem of the state of Qatar.

Santiago Calatrava said: “We are honoured to have been chosen for the design of the Qatar Pavilion at Expo 2020. Our relationship with the State of Qatar and its people lies very close to our heart. The Qatar Pavilion’s design draws inspiration from the four elements represented on the Coat of Arms of Qatar and pays tribute to the nation’s cultural heritage.”

The coinciding pair of buildings of the Qatar Pavilion consist of two main galleries of exhibition spaces. Gallery 1 serves as an introductory space and invites visitors to explore the past, present, and future of Qatar through visual arts, sound effects, and music. Guiding visitors toward the main entrance portal, refection pools flank the pavilion on both sides.

Utilising a combination of technologies, from mirror screens and holographic projections to 3D mapping and transparent LED screens, six illusion showcases displaying key themes that represent Qatar’s story make use of illusions that bring objects inside the pavilion to life. Encompassing the subthemes of Expo 2020 in Opportunity, Mobility, and Sustainability, these key concepts were derived from the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are an urgent call for action by all countries in a global partnership. These include: heritage, geography and culture; art, science and technology via creative stimuli; communication, transportation and exploration; environment, urban development, biodiversity, and natural resources; governance and investment in human capital; education, youth employment, and community welfare; industrial transformations, pioneering change and green economy initiatives; innovation and development.

Combining sound, light, and vision, Gallery 2 offers visitors a deeply immersive audio-visual experience that moves from impressionistic evocations to stunning imagery. Featuring a wrap-around projection screen and 6 illusion mirror totems, visitors are met with an experience that moves from peacefulness to heightened emotion, from the personal to the global, and from the conceptual to the concrete.

Located within the Sustainability district at Expo 2020, the Qatar Pavilion is adjacent to the Southwest concourse of the Sustainability Pavilion and has a plot area of approximately 960m2 and a total built up area (BUA) of approximately 620m2.

Qatar is a peninsula surrounded by the Arabian Gulf in the heart of the Middle East, with 80% of the earth’s population within a six-hour flight. Ranked the safest country in the world in 2020 by Numbeo, Qatar welcomes all travellers, and guests from over 85 countries can enter visa-free. Qatar has an incredible variety of easily accessible tourist attractions, a plethora of fauna and flora including whale sharks and the majestic national animal the Arabian Oryx, and most experiences are a unique combination of cultural authenticity and modernity. From iconic museums to high-rise restaurants, from thrilling desert adventures to world-famous events including none other than the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, there is something for all types of travellers and budgets.

Qatar Tourism is the official government body responsible for the development and promotion of tourism in Qatar, facilitating the sector’s exponential growth.