Expo 2020 Dubai
A posting about Expo 2020 in the spring of 2022? Yes, even though it didn't start until October 2021, the name of the original start was kept.
The area designated for the Expo is south of the city itself and is then to be turned into a new residential area. Since it is already connected to the metro and highways, chances are good that this will become a reality. Unfortunately, very few buildings will survive the end of the show.
In February, I flew to Dubai anyway and took the opportunity to visit the Expo. I was there on an early Sunday morning, which is always a good idea if you want to visit some of the pavilions. Later, and this starts around lunchtime, the lines in front of the more popular pavilions get longer and longer. Waiting times of one to two hours are not uncommon. But so I could even visit the Saudi pavilion, one of the most interesting, without queuing. Only the pavilions of the United Arab Emirates and Egypt had long lines so early.
The official themes of the Expo are opportunity, mobility, and sustainability. Each pavilion should be dedicated to one of these themes. But let's be honest: In most of the pavilions I visited, you have to be very creative to find this connection. Actually, they could have been at a tourism fair showing the most interesting or beautiful places to visit.
From a photographic point of view, my main focus was on the buildings. Even though most of them are built for a very limited time, they are a good opportunity to show the creativity of local architects. Since I was there during the day, I focused mainly on details.
Inside the pavilions, I found the projections/LED installations the most interesting. They were used in numerous pavilions, but my favorites were the ones from Saudi Arabia and the USA.
