Luxembourg Pavillon for Expo Dubai 2020
| Type | Exposition pavillon, competition |
| Location | Dubai, UAE |
| Gross floor area | 1.000 m² |
| Volume | 6.500 m³ |
| Budget | 5 million € |
| Project period | 2017 |
| Scenography | studio polenta, architecture2brain |
| Visual artist | bloom images, architecture2brain |
We proposed our pavilion under the theme “LUXEMBOURG – OPPORTUNITIES, DIVERSITY AND HERITAGE”.
Our multidisciplinary team was composed of dagli atelier d’architecture, studio polenta (scenography), and architecture2brain (3d images, scenography). The visual artists were bloom images and architecture2brain.
We have proposed a vision of merging Luxembourg (European) and Arab architecture, strongly in the spirit of cultural exchange and change of scenery.
The pavilion reflects on the characteristics of Luxembourg: Opportunities, Diversity and Heritage. Heritage was very important to us, since in an increasingly digitalized world, we must always reflect on “where we come from” in order to know “where we want to go” – two of the key themes of the proposed scenography.
The structure and appearance of the pavilion is that of a temporary construction with maximum durability. We thought to visualize the durability through the tent canvas: the Bedouin tent is certainly the most durable form of architecture in the desert and the type of shelter most adapted to the desert climate and most important because the tent is at the heart of the identity processes of Bedouin societies. Indeed, relaxing in a tent is an act of expressing one’s cultural identity and a sign of belonging to society. The tent is precisely the element that will allow you to physically change your universe.
The European architecture is visualized through our interpretation of the urban silhouette: Luxembourg, the cosmopolitan country in the heart of Europe. To create the fusion in the spirit of our key themes, namely opportunity, diversity and heritage, we combine these two fundamental cultural identities. It can also be said that traditional identity and urban identity are the two most universal identities of our time.
The structure is inspired by the simplicity of the nomad tent: the canvas pulled by ropes with a single support in its center, automatically generating envelope and space. In this spirit of simplicity and durability, the pavilion is composed of wooden structure and tent fabrics, covering the structure at the exterior and interior.
Landscaping: East and West meet in the main plaza. The plaza is an element that can be found both in oases as the epicentre of nomadic life and as a piazza in European cities. The plaza welcomes and manages visitor flows. It is designed in such a way that it inspires the atmosphere of a typical urban square in the centre of Luxembourg, offering all the elements such as seating and greenery to provide shade for pedestrians.
The outdoor exhibition that showcases the regions and flora of Luxembourg takes place at the terraced roof area of the pavilion. The scenography gives an overview of the regions of Luxembourg: the Ardennes, the Mullerthal region, the Moselle and the Sûre. Biotopes are displayed by a few groups of typical plants of the Regions. While the first part of the itinerary is about presenting the regions and sustainable tourism, the second part invites you to discover organic agriculture and viticulture.
The plants are watered by micro-irrigation, a method used in the driest areas of Europe and the Middle East. Numerous tent canvases float above the visitor areas to offer shade to visitors and plantations, while granting free air circulation.
Energy concept: In the Middle East, the role of energy design is much more important. Here, the sustainable design aims to prevent heat from entering buildings instead of focusing on heat generation as is customary in Europe. Without the level of industrialization on site to support fairly complicated mechanical and electrical systems, the strategy of sustainable design aims much more on pure energy savings.
Therefore, the pavilion is inspired by the traditional elements of Dubai, the wind tower called Bagdir, and the underground canals called Qanat. The Pavilion offers mechanical ventilation that draws air through wells below the building. The air will be cooled by a system using the effect of evaporation when the air blows on the surface of water. The cold air is blown from below and will rise as it heats up. The elevation of the volumes in the same way as the wind towers ensures that the warm air will be well away from the visitors.