For the fifth time (other years include 2010, 2012, 2015, and 2017), EXHIBITOR magazine has honored the design of World Expo pavilions. The purpose of this iteration of EXHIBITOR Magazine’s World Expo Awards is to honor the most impressive work from Expo 2020 in Dubai, and to spotlight some of the pavilions there.
InPark’s World’s Fair Editor Jim Ogul was among the group of seventeen expert judges that reviewed dozens of entries. The Editor’s Choice Award was determined by the writers and editors of EXHIBITOR magazine, and the People’s Choice Award winner was determined by popular vote on www.ExhibitorOnline.com, which attracted more than 550,000 visits from readers and Expo enthusiasts who cast their votes.
The top awards (Best Pavilion in four, size-based categories) went to Saudi Arabia, Poland, Switzerland, and the Vision Pavilion. Additional awards were presented in categories ranging from Best Presentation and Best Use of Technology to Best Exterior Design and Best Sustainable Design. In total, 31 different pavilions received recognition in this year’s competition, with the pavilions from Azerbaijan, Germany, Japan, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and the UAE earning high marks in multiple categories.
“The Expo 2020 Award winners and honorable mentions represent some of the world’s best examples of how design, technology, presentation, and storytelling come together to create immersive experiences and effectively communicate compelling messages,” said Travis Stanton, editor of EXHIBITOR magazine. “These examples will hopefully inform and inspire today’s exhibit and event professionals — along with the next generation of face-to-face marketers. Because whether you’re creating an immense international pavilion or a small 10-by-10-foot exhibit, it’s often about making a lasting impression, and the work on display in Dubai does that in truly monumental and memorable ways.”
MORE INFORMATION:
The full EXHIBITOR magazine article on the awards can be found here
FROM THE PAGES OF INPARK MAGAZINE:
A coalescence of great design minds: Expo 2020 Dubai
The Experience Designer’s Guide to Expo 2020 Dubai
BEST XL PAVILION (more than 5,000 square meters)
Winner: Saudi Arabia Pavilion
THEME: Reflection of the Kingdom’s Past, Present, and Shared Future
SIZE: 13,059 sqm
CLIENT: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Aramco
DESIGN: Boris Micka Associates, Kraftwerk Living Technologies, Dar Al-Handasah
FABRICATION: ALEC, ALEC Fitout
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Vancram, Enefecto 3D, Sngular, Cyan Animatica, Entropy Studio, Pasos Largos, Adirondack, Leon Studio and Victor Reyes
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Germany, UAE
BEST LARGE PAVILION (2,501-5,000 square meters)
Winner: Poland Pavilion
SIZE: 2,900 sqm
CLIENT: Polish Investment and Trade Agency
DESIGN: WXCA, Bellprat Partner AG, WSP, WSP Middle East
FABRICATION: Grupa MTP, FM Aldentro
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: ASK Studio, Ejsak Group, Poznan International Fair Consortium, Leniva Studio, Science Now, Stellar Fireworks, Tellart, Bico Group
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Austraila, Kazakhstan
BEST MEDIUM PAVILION (1,201-2,500 square meters)
Winner: Switzerland Pavilion
THEME: Reflections
SIZE: 3,083 sqm
CLIENT: Presence Switzerland – Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA
DESIGN: OOS AG, Bellprat Partner AG, Lorenz Eugster Landschaftarchitekten und Städtebau GmbH
FABRICATION: Expomobilia, MCH Live Marketing Solutions AG
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Winkler Livecom AG, Effektschmiede GmbH
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Netherlands, Azerbaijan
BEST SMALL PAVILION (1,200 or fewer square meters)
Winner: Vision Pavilion
THEME: Discovery, Inspiration, and Appreciation
SIZE: 500 sqm
CLIENT: Expo 2020 Dubai LLC
DESIGN: Icaria Atelier
FABRICATION: ALEC Fitout
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: CH2M Mace
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Qatar, Lithuania
BEST EXTERIOR DESIGN
Winner: UAE Pavilion
CLIENT: Ministry of Culture and Youth (MOCY)
DESIGN: Santiago Calatrava
FABRICATION: ALEC
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, Kossmanndejong, Tellart, SYPartners, Tinkah, Lest We Forget, Loci, Waho, Nexus Studios, Onion Lab, Factory Fifteen, Yesyesno, Matthew Herbert, Resonate, Mane, Calatrava International
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Saudi Arabia, Mobility Pavilion
BEST SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
Winner: Austria Pavilion
CLIENT: Austrian Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber
DESIGN: Querkraft Architekten
FABRICATION: NUSSLI Group
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Buro Kling Architectural Engineering Consultants, Büro Wien, Ars Electronica Solutions
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Netherlands, Malaysia
BEST INTERPRETATION OF THEME
Winner: Netherlands Pavilion
CLIENT: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency
DESIGN: V8 Architects, Witteveen+Bos, Kossmanndejong
FABRICATION: Expomobilia, MCH Live Marketing Solutions AG
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Ap Verheggen, Marjan van Aubel, Mogu, BuroBelén
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Azerbaijan, Switzerland
BEST PRESENTATION
Winner: Kazakhstan Pavilion (AI-Controlled Flight)
CLIENT: Kazakhstan, QazExpoCongress
DESIGN: Insglück Gesellschaft für Markeninszenierung mbH
FABRICATION: NUSSLI Group
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Buro Kling Architectural Engineering Consultants, ARDECO, Neumann and Müller
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Japan (Encountering Japan), USA (The Sky is No Longer the Limit)
BEST ACTIVITY/INTERACTIVE
Winner: Spain Pavilion (Forest of Intelligence)
CLIENT: Government of Spain, Accion Cultural Española (AC/E)
DESIGN: Temperaturas Extremas Arquitectos, External Reference Architecture Bureau, Onionlab
FABRICATION: Rimond Middle East General Contracting, Empty APD Joint Venture
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: The Others TV, Studio Canogar, Code 7 Pictures
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Emirates Airline Pavilion (Experience Your Tomorrow), Switzerland (Sea of Fog)
BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Winner: Al Wasl Plaza (Dome Projection)
CLIENT: Expo 2020 Dubai LLC
DESIGN: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
FABRICATION: Jacobs Mace
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Creative Technology Middle East (CTME), Christie
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Czech Republic (SAWER System), Japan (Smartphone integration)
BEST EXHIBIT/DISPLAY
Winner: Opportunity Pavilion (Inverted Forest)
CLIENT: Expo 2020 Dubai LLC
DESIGN: AGI Architects, Icaria Atelier
FABRICATION: ASGC, ALEC Fitout, Eversendai Engineering LLC
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Flexbrick, Serge Ferrari, EConstruct, CH2M Mace
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Saudi Arabia (Audiovisual Kaleidoscope), New Zealand (The River Room)
BEST ELEMENTS/DETAILS
Winner: Italy Pavilion (3D-Printed David Statue)
CLIENT: Commissioner General’s Office of Section for Italy’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, Adjunct Commissioner General of Section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
DESIGN: CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, Italo Rota Building Office, Matteo Gatto, F&M Ingegneria
FABRICATION: RAQ Contracting Co., Mapei, Carli Produzioni S.r.l., Eurofiere S.P.A., Makr Shakr
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: AGMultivision, Liminae Lighting Design, P2A Design, 100km Studio, Studio FM Milano, CNR, ENI, Alessandro Camera
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Belarus (Tree of Knowledge), Brazil (Exterior Membrane)
EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD
Winner: Germany Pavilion
CLIENT: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
DESIGN: Facts and Fiction GmbH, LAVA – Laboratory for Visionary Architecture
FABRICATION: NUSSLI Group
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Designatics GmbH, SLD Mediatec GmbH, M Guide GmbH, Samsung SDS, Lteg GmbH, ESME Entertainment Services Grosse8, Rangundnamen, L2 Atelier, Schlaich Bergermann Partner, Transsolar, Energytec, Steinlehner, Kardorff Ingenieure, Voss + Fischer, Taufik Kenan, Koelnmesse GmbH
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Thailand, Luxembourg
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
Winner: Peru Pavilion
CLIENT: La Comision de Promocion del Peru para la Exportacion y el Turismo PROMPERU
DESIGN: Habitare Archetectura E Ingenieria, Pico International LLC
FABRICATION: Pico International LLC, QA Construct LLC, Pico Production Ltd.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Egypt, India
