Singapore’s pavilion is ‘an oasis in the desert’ at Expo 2020 Dubai

There is no shortage of eye-catching structures at Dubai’s World Expo, but the lush greenery of the Singapore Pavilion makes it a standout. Built around three massive plant-covered cones, the pavilion isn’t a traditional enclosed building, trading walls for a green belt of trees and plants capable of creating their own microclimate.

Visitors enter through a garden meant to appear as an oasis in the desert, which connects with Singapore’s reputation as a “City in Nature” and offers a corner of calm in the middle of the bustling Expo. “But it’s not just a pavilion filled with greenery,” says Phua Hong Wei, director of WOHA, the Singapore architecture firm that designed the pavilion. “It showcases the coexistence of architecture and nature. It demonstrates that buildings can be designed as a responsible and sustainable environment, achieving net-zero energy and water in the desert. It becomes a prototype with strategies that are scalable and adaptable, from buildings to cities.”

Inside, the three nine-meter tall cones function as thematic areas, under the shade of a hanging garden. In the City Cone, a film narrates the rise of urban areas and the challenges threatening the natural world; in the Rainforest Cone, a high density of plants imported from Singapore recreates a slice of thick jungle; and in the Flower Cone, darkness sets the atmosphere for a visual feast created by a myriad of orchids.

Green technology

The structure is designed as a series of linked systems, inspired by nature. A canopy over the top, with more than solar 517 panels, generates clean energy that powers everything. Water is drawn from the ground and desalinated to irrigate the plants and provide cooling via mist fans; these use high-pressure nozzles to create a fine mist that lowers the perceived temperature by 6 to 10 degrees Celsius, keeping the pavilion cool in the desert without using air conditioning.

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Expo 2020 Dubai is now open, revealing a spectacular array of pavilions, many designed by world-famous architects. The UAE pavilion, designed by Santiago Calatrava, is a sight to behold, shaped like a falcon -- the country's national bird -- in flight. The structure is topped by falcon-wing shapes made of carbon fiber and fitted with solar panels.

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A series of blue boxes draped in fired clay balls make up the Iran pavilion. Each box showcases different elements of the country's culture, tradition and handicrafts. Streams of water accompany visitors down walkways and into the pavilion, designed by architects Shift Process Practice.

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"Innovating for a shared future" is the theme of the UK pavilion. Designed by Es Devlin Studio, it offers to take visitors on a digital journey through the UK's role in space and artificial intelligence. The theme is reflected in the facade, which features continuously changing collective message generated by AI and visitors' contributions.

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The network of vertical aluminum panels that hangs like a cloud over timber structures is a key element of the Australia pavilion, designed by bureau^proberts. The "cloud" even lights up in the evening to mimic "the ancient and rugged landscape of Australia." Inside, the pavilion explores 60,000 years of Australian innovation, culture and creativity.

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Designed by Al Jabal Engineering, the Pakistan pavilion offers multi-sensory installations encapsulated in walls of color. The colorful façade is a "reflection of the beautiful changing seasons the country experiences, one of the most diverse on Earth," according to its designer, Rashid Rana. Inside, Pakistan's "hidden treasures" are showcased, including its spiritual traditions, history and sustainability initiatives.

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The Russia pavilion, designed by Tchoban SPEECH, is a huge dome covered by strings of giant multi-colored tubes. It's meant to symbolize the question: How do we find our place in an interconnected world? Inside, it explores scientific advancements and creative innovations past and present.

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A combination of traditional Arabesque and Japanese Asanoha patterns form the façade of the Japan pavilion, meant to symbolize the crossover of culture between Japan and the Middle East. Inside the structure, designed by Yuko Nagayama and Associates, visitors can see 3D art installations.

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The Swiss Pavilion, "Reflections," represents the country's traditions and spectacular landscapes. Designed by architects OOS, its giant interactive mirror façade reflects the red carpet that leads to it, to show the national flag. Inside, a "crystal cave" showcases technology, innovation and scientific achievements through immersive displays, before visitors are led through a "sea of fog."

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Built from reusable materials -- fabric, iron and wood -- the Spain pavilion is intended to promote sustainability. The structure, designed by Amann-Canovas-Maruri, is made of cone shaped "solar chimneys" that cool the pavilion and highlight Spain's links with the Arab world.

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Designed by Italian architect Marco Pestalozza, the Kuwait pavilion is a digital showpiece, displaying images of the country's landscapes on its façade, and showcasing a vision for the country's future. Water towers stretch upwards through each level of the structure, symbolizing Kuwait's "commitment to sustainability and water security."

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The German pavilion, themed as "Campus Germany," invites visitors to explore a "curriculum" covering energy, cities of the future and biodiversity within its "labs." The Graduation Hall features swinging seats and during a "graduation ceremony," visitors are encouraged to swing in unison to reflect how great achievements come from working together. The building, a vertical ensemble of cuboids, was designed by Facts And Fiction and LAVA.

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Baden-Württemberg is a state in southwest Germany, and is the only national state to have its own pavilion in Dubai. Built by NÜSSLI Adunic, with a distinctive timber frame, visitors can activate digital flowers in the landscape using their smartphones and explore different topics through augmented reality.

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Egypt's ancient civilization meets its vision for the future in its pavilion. Designed by Egyptian Hazem Hamada, the pavilion is decorated in hieroglyphs, while inside, giant screens explore the country's legacy and progress. The Great Pyramid of Giza is represented by the triangular gate through which visitors enter. Once inside, visitors are met with archaeological artifacts and interactive displays.

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The six-story Saudi Arabia Pavilion, designed by Boris Micka, is the second-largest pavilion after that of the UAE, and has a sloping, rectangular structure. The "Heritage" escalator takes visitors up to experience the country's history and culture, while the "Future" escalator takes them down to explore modern Saudi Arabia through an LED mirror screen and an interactive water feature. The pavilion has been awarded the LEED Platinum Certificate for sustainability.

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Not a pavilion, but a remarkable design nonetheless, the Al Wasl Plaza is the heart of Expo 2020, connecting the three thematic districts, Sustainability, Mobility and Opportunity. Al Wasl is the historic name for Dubai and also means "connection." The plaza holds the world's largest 360-degree projection dome. Made of 13.6 kilometers of steel, and designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the trellis steelwork forms the Expo logo.

The greenery covering the ground, walls and ceiling acts as a natural surface to keep the temperature down and filter the air. Small robots traverse the green walls, equipped with cameras and sensors that monitor the health of the plants and collect data such as humidity and oxygen levels. With that information, the amount of water is calibrated for irrigation and grow lights are adjusted.

“The climate crisis reminds us that humans are part of the larger ecosystem and we cannot ignore the impact of human actions on the planet,” says Phua. “The Covid pandemic is another alarm bell that made us realize how valuable access to space and nature is. Both are critical reminders that we have to actively and urgently care for the environment. The pavilion takes an approach that buildings should do more, give back and make a positive impact on our environment.”

On the top floor, a “sky market” offers a space filled with vendors and workshops, and a circular gallery illustrates Singapore’s relationship with nature. The theme of the pavilion is “Nature, Nurture, Future,” intending to show how nature, technology and architecture can be integrated, and highlighting the city-state’s track record in this area. Although densely populated, almost half of Singapore is covered in trees or vegetation, with this “green coverage” growing from 36% in 1986 to nearly 50% today.

According to Phua, many of the technologies implemented at the pavilion can be replicated in other buildings, or even at a city-wide scale. “Our solar canopy, desalination plant, auto-irrigation system and dry mist fan are integrated systems that enhance and improve the environment,” he says.

“By incorporating nature into our buildings and cities, and protecting our natural spaces, flora and fauna, we can take crucial steps in the fight against climate change.”