Canada's Expo 2020 pavilion on track for September launch
DUBAI, April 8, 2020
Leading Canadian officials said work is progressing at a steady pace on its Expo 2020 Dubai country pavilion, a 1,200-sq-m facility featuring architectural elements to symbolise its strong UAE cultural ties, and is expected to be completed by September.
Construction crews and trades have been on-site since November along with cranes and heavy equipment, reported Daily Commercial News.
Concrete block walls at the back of the structure have been completed. Structural steel work is being finished. Installation of roofing over an office area at the back of the building and hosting venues is now underway, it stated.
The Canada Pavilion has been designed by Toronto-based Moriyama & Teshima Architects. Its design draws inspiration from a multitude of sources and blends the country’s landscapes with Arabic architectural elements.
The pavilion will have a 360-degree round theatre and a large exterior screen fabricated using Canadian wood that will define the outer form of the building, stated the report.
The wood screen evokes the experience of a Canadian forest, defined by rhythmic verticals that are connected by airy foliage like lattice.
The Canadian Expo 2020 organisers have roped in EllisDon as the contractor to design and build the Canada Pavilion.
Canada’s theme, 'The Future in Mind', will focus on Canadian leadership in key sectors such as advanced technologies, aerospace, artificial intelligence, tourism and education, as well as to promote Canadian values like gender equality and sustainable practices.
The integration of traditional Canadian and Arabic expressions in the pavilion will result in a serene, elegant and timeless building, stated Alexandra Oldford, design manager at EllisDon.
"Interestingly, the pavilion is partly designed to promote Canadian values like gender equality and sustainable practices. It is in the sustainability wing of the Expo site. After Expo, it will be dismantled and the material will be recycled or repurposed locally for future projects," she noted.
“The use of wood for the mashrabiya, a sustainable material, and the integration of an open entrance hall taking advantage of the regional climate are considerations made in addition to EllisDon’s recycling and re-use approach following the Expo,” added Oldford.
In addition to EllisDon and Moriyama & Teshima, several companies are involved in the project, including architect U+A Architects, Lord Cultural Resources, digital media consultant NGX, exhibition contractor Kubik, structural consultant Thornton Tomasetti, Valcoustics, Hatch, and design-build partner Amana Buildings.
