All good things must come to an end, and sadly, Expo 2020 is no different. But just because it’s going away doesn’t mean it won’t leave some gifts behind for us.
Several architectural marvels will be among the four-fifths of infrastructure to stay when the six-month event ends this month.
The site will evolve into a 15-minute city, with attractions, offices, parks and homes within the two-square kilometre site no further than a short stroll or bike ride away.
“Despite hurdles presented by the pandemic, Dubai has proven that it is a hub for innovation and technology. With the site transforming into a city, Dubai shows that continues to grow limitlessly,” said Pamul Sharma, VP – Business at Kingsley Properties.
Now let’s get into what the Expo leaves us with once it’s gone.
Al Wasl centrepiece
The sand-coloured dome has been the Expo’s main staging area and the venue of unforgettable concerts by Coldplay and Black Eyed Peas.
The steel trellis structure will continue to serve as a gathering space and as a platform for performances and concerts.
The dome has been described as the “crown jewel” of Expo 2020 Dubai and was designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill.
Mobility Pavilion
The glinting curved rims of Alif, the mobility pavilion, has attracted millions of curious visitors for a glimpse of cutting edge technology.
Foster + Partners built a flexible structure that will continue to address the theme of mobility after the Expo ends. It will also house offices.
The polished stainless steel building that resembles a giant fidget spinner also features the world’s largest passenger lift, carrying more than 160 people at a time. It will host temporary exhibitions on mobility to attract tourists and residents.
Gravity-defying water illusion
One of the biggest attractions of the Expo, drawing snaking queues on most weekends, will continue to draw crowds.
The surreal water feature was created by WET, a Los Angeles-headquartered company that designed the fountains at Burj Khalifa and Bellagio in Las Vegas.
High-tech mechanics create an illusion that the water is racing upwards before the streams drop back down and disappear at the feet of spectators standing on the stone structure.
Fire and fog are released from the centre of the ring and set to a specially written score by Ramin Djawadi, the Game of Thrones music composer and two-time Emmy award winner.
Garden in the sky
A gently rotating observation tower soars 55 metres above the ground for a bird’s eye view of the site.
Visitors can catch sweeping 360-degree panoramic views from a tree-lined upper deck that is linked to an air-conditioned lower cabin with tall glass windows.
The base of the tower and the observation cabins glow at night as visitors are lifted into the sky.
The Firdaus Studio
Musical legend AR Rahman has described hand-picking an all-women orchestra and building a studio as the “most exciting things in a decade”.
The Firdaus Studio, a collaboration between the Expo and the composer, will serve as a creative space in which artists from around the world can collaborate. Rahman’s vision is for a world-class space where musicians and directors will converge to record film scores, albums and multimedia projects.
It will also be the home for the Firdaus Orchestra, the UAE’s female ensemble that fuses Arab and western styles. Firdaus means “paradise” in Arabic and will be a special element of the Expo’s legacy as it aspires to attract musical and artistic talent.
Sigh, we truly are going to miss the Expo. Let us know which of these ‘presents’ from the World’s Fair is your favourite.
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