Emirati-designed Expo Live Pavilion toinspire millions of visitorsasa globalcentreofsocial innovation at The World’s Greatest Show
- Expo Live Pavilion honours Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s vision and generosity
- Ahmad AbdulrahmanBukhash of design firmArchidentity behind ‘The Good Place’
- Pavilion to inspire millions as focal point for USD 100 million Expo Live programme
The Emirati-designedExpo Live Pavilion inExpo 2020 Dubai’s Opportunity District will inspiremillions of visitorsto become change-makers by showcasing the socialinnovators, supported by Expo Live,who arehavinga measurable impact on people’s lives across the world.
A human-focused experience,‘The Good Place’was designed by Ahmad AbdulrahmanBukhash,founder of Dubai architecture practice Archidentityand a UAE national – a point of pride for Expo Live, Expo 2020 and the UAE.
Its design was inspired by the traditional Bedouin tentwhereapivotal 1968 meeting took place betweenthe late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyanand the late His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.The objective of that meeting, which led to the birth of the UAE in 1971, was to achieve a common vision and a sustainable future for their people. Thisconcept has been embraced by Expo Live,Expo 2020’sglobal innovation and partnership programme that finds, funds and supports creative and innovative solutions with the aimof improving people’s lives, preserving the planet, or both.
Expo Live comprises the Innovation Impact Grant Programme (IIGP), which isso far supporting 120 Global Innovators with guidance, exposure and grants of up to USD 100,000; and the University Innovation Programme,which has to date supported 46 teams of students in the UAE with grants of up to AED 50,000 to help develop their solutions.
Covering approximately 470 square metres, the pavilion exhibitionshowcases the ‘good’in the world,featuring the work of theGlobal Innovators inimproving people’s lives andhonouring the vision and generosity of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
His HighnessSheikh Mohammed introduced Expo Live as a new concept to World Expos during the bid stage in 2013, entrusting Expo 2020 with USD 100 million to support innovations and ideas from across the globe.
Ingenious ideas supported so far include WheeLog, a Japanese accessibility app that provides wheelchair users with barrier-free information; Peru-based Café Compadre which uses solar power to produce good quality, sustainable coffee in the jungle; and Kenya’s Kidogo, a social enterprise offering high-quality, affordable early childcare and education in the slums of Nairobi.
‘The Good Place’ will also feature a new version of the IIGP, which has so far attracted more than 11,000 applications from 184 countries. Visitorsto the pavilion will have the chance to pitch their social innovations to become a Global Innovator in the programme’s sixth cycle.
With this in mind, the pavilion is an opportunity for those activelyseeking support for their projects, as well as others who wish to become change-makers – entering ‘The Good Place’ as visitors and leaving inspired to build a brighter, more optimistic and prosperous future.
Yousuf Caires, Senior Vice President, Expo Live, Expo 2020 Dubai, said:“Through the stories of our Global Innovators, ‘The Good Place’ willlook to trigger a change in all who visit – inspiring ordinary people to do something extraordinary by joining a programme that empowers those who are boldand ready to make a difference.
“The pavilion’s visitor experience is a journey that mirrors the trajectory of Expo Live – from a promise made to find, fund and support positive change to a truly global communityofentrepreneurs united in the belief that social innovation can come from anywhere, to everyone.”
Ahmad Abdulrahman Bukhash, Chief Architect and Founder, Archidentity, said: “Architecture is about bringing the inside, outside. The Expo Live Pavilion is a showcase for exactly that,exemplifying the notion that an idea is not limited by a single box – it is transformative, outreaching and radiant, and canaffect all people around it.
“One of the challenges in designing the ‘The Good Place’ was capturing – and captivating audiences around– the idea of Expo Live. As visitors enter, they will see a mirage of visuals where their reflections appear alongside images of Global Innovators. The design, co-created by Takeshi Maruyama and Sireen Ali, empowers visitors to see that those seeking to do good are ordinary people, like you or me.”
The largest event ever held in the Arab World, Expo 2020 Dubai will serve as a platform for international collaboration, innovation and meaningful partnerships that help create a better future for everyone on the planet. It will run for six months from 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021.
