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dubai — The French pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai will send out a strong message of innovative vision in terms of ecological and inclusive transition when it goes live, experts said.
Brune Poirson, secretary of State to François de Rugy, Minister of State, Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, unveiled the French pavilion for the World Expo to be held in Dubai from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021 under the theme of ‘Connecting minds, Creating the future’. Through its name ‘Light, Lights’, the pavilion will combine a strong architectural gesture with an innovative immersive scenography.
“The Expo 2020 Dubai will be a major opportunity to demonstrate that our choices in favour of ecological and inclusive transition are conducive to solutions, meaning and growth. Solutions to make daily life respectful of the planet and citizens,” said Brune Poirson.
“Meaningful and growing also for our companies, both public and private, whose innovations will delight future visitors to our Pavilion.”
Located in the area dedicated to Mobility, the pavilion aims to highlight the fastest possible mobility, but also to embody the ‘Enlightenment’ — a symbol since the 18th century of sharing and spreading knowledge. It will promote the French innovation model, which makes it possible to conciliate sustainable development and international business competitiveness for connected and sustainable cities and territories, serving the citizen and the common good.
Designed by the Atelier du Prado Architectes and Celnikier & Grabli, the pavilion looks at light as one of its key inspirations. The facility goes beyond the limits of a regular building since it fuses materials and light in a single structure to showcase the content of permanent and temporary exhibitions. Visitors will begin their journey outside the structure and continue the experience seamlessly inside, transforming waiting time into a moment of sharing and emotion – a concert of sensations that encourages reverie.
Inside, the 800sqm permanent exhibition will showcase the assets of the French-style city in an organic scenography that combines sound, light, perfume and materials.
The pavilion will also be punctuated by a constantly changing programme during the 24 weeks of the Expo 2020 Dubai. In line with France’s ecological ambition, notably through the One Planet Summit, the pavilion will be the most sustainable ever built because it can be dismantled and reused.
“An opportunity to promote an urban model driven by French actors, to support the development of our companies in emerging countries in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, promotion of the economic and tourist attractiveness of the French territory, Expo 2020 Dubai must enable France to defend its vision of sustainable cities and connected territories,” said Erik Linquier, general commissioner of the French pavilion.