New Zealand has recently released a rendering of its pavilion for the World Expo 2020 in Dubai, for the first time. New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters has unveiled the design of the pavilion to the UAE Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at Wellington. The Maori culture-inspired structure is designed by Jasmax Architects, with Special Group as creative storytellers and Mott MacDonald as engineering service providers.
The Inspiring Theme of Maori Culture:
The World Expo 2020 in Dubai will have 180 countries participating, and it is expected to welcome over 25 million visitors throughout its six-month duration. The theme of the expo is “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” and it features the sub-themes: Sustainability, Opportunity, and Mobility.
New Zealand’s pavilion design celebrates the culture of bringing people together which goes in line with Expo 2020’s theme. The $53 million structure tells the story of ‘Kaitiakitanga’ or “Our Care for People and Place”—the theme of the pavilion.
The “waka tonga” is a hollow container that Maoris, the indigenous people of New Zealand, use to safeguard items that are intrinsically valuable. The carved containers called “waka huia” and “paphou” are symbols of protection in the Maori culture, while the waka tonga is gifted to strengthen existing relationships or to forge new bonds.
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The 2,000-square-meter pavilion has an exhibition space, a restaurant, hosting facilities, administrative offices, and a design store. It is located in the Sustainability District of the Expo 2020. In addition to portraying the core beliefs and values of New Zealand’s heritage and culture, the structure is designed to promote the country as a place for people to visit, study, trade, partner with, and invest in.
The Dubai Expo 2020 will be held between October 20, 2020, and April 21, 2021.