SWA designed the majority of Expo 2020’s public realm, including the central garden (Al Wasl, Arabic for “the connection”), the main entry plaza, the long pedestrian loop linking the districts, and four parks. I was responsible for the design of the inner loop area, especially for the design of the shade structure.
The design inspiration was created based on the falcon, the symbol of Dubai. The color of the fabric is selected to reflect the sand in Dubai. The original design of the bird was abstract and asymmetrical and had several variations in shapes. After continuing collaboration with the structural engineer, I have developed a design to be more symmetrical and identical. This is due to the design constraints of weight distribution and shade coverage.
The design and its execution was a huge success and the expo raised lots of international recognition for Dubai. I am very proud to be the lead designer and see the final construction of the design.
