Brisbane-based architecture firm bureau^proberts has unveiled its design for the Australian Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai, UAE. The pavilion serves as a cultural contribution with large social space that translates Australia’s distinctive landscape and skies through a cloud-like form suspended over folding timber. The structure "captures the local sensibility" by highlighting the welcoming and warm nature of the Australians through the central and sheltered gathering area.
The architects chose to build the structure with elements that capture the country's unique culture and atmosphere. Vertical aluminum panels were combined to create a large cloud that hovers over the pavilion. The team used paint as a medium to represent clouds as three dimensional figures. During the evening, the cloud-like structure will lit up in a dynamic display that reflects Australia's thunderous skies.
Just as a real cloud is made up of a series of droplets, our cloud structure comprises a myriad of disparate yet similar elements. Together, they signify the way in which Australia is home to multiple cultures that unify and enhance our nation. -- Liam Proberts, Managing and Creative Director of bureau^proberts
Keeping in mind the sustainability aspect of the pavilion, the architecture team used “familiar, reusable and readily available products” to maintain the environmental impact and limit waste and unnecessary manufacturing. Cross laminated timber (CLT) was used for the terrain since it can be sustainably sourced and dismantled once the expo ends.
Expo 2020 Dubai will run from 1 October 2021 until 31 March 2022, under strict Covid regulations, after a year delay due to the worldwide pandemic. Focused on architecture, culture, and innovation, the world expo, held for the first time in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, will gather almost 191 national participants. New aerial shots of the venue were published recently, highlighting water and garden features.
