Catch an eye-full of the 3m-tall replica of Michelangelo’s David
He’s one of the most famous men to have never walked this good earth, and now Michelangelo’s David is taking pride of place at the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Okay, so it’s not Dave himself, but it is a colossal five-metre-tall 3D print replica depicting one of the most famous statues ever chiselled from a slab of marble. His doppelganger was hoisted into place following months of painstaking work by artists and innovators, which included 40 hours of digital scanning and a pioneering use of 3D printers. Keep your eyes peeled.
Experience indoor rainfall
Witness indoor rainfall in the Netherlands Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai thanks to technology SunGlacier, which produces water from air via solar power to irrigate crops. Likewise, the Solar Air Water Earth Resources (S.A.W.E.R.) system in the Czech Republic Pavilion produces up to 500 litres of drinking and irrigation water from the air using nothing but sunlight, even in the harshest desert environments. This is one storm we can’t wait to get caught in.
Find out about future luxury cars
Petrolheads at Expo 2020 Dubai are in for a treat, thanks to another World Expo debutant. The German state of Baden-Württemberg, home to several world-famous luxury car brands, will have its own pavilion at Expo, where it will probe the secrets of future manufacturing.
Figure out what blockchain actually is…
So you keep hearing about blockchain and you know it’s a hugely important breakthrough in our ever more tech-reliant world. But, if you’re anything like us, you have no idea what it actually is. If you’d like to find out, head to the BlockExpo and World Blockchain Summit 2020, taking place at the brand new 45,000sqm Dubai Exhibition Centre on the doorstep of Expo 2020 Dubai from November 2 to 6, 2020.
Gawp at Expo’s own architecture
Marvel at creative and cutting-edge architecture at Expo 2020 Dubai. The sights will include a number of structures designed by ‘starchitects’ – the superstars of the architecture world – as well from emerging architectural talent from around the world. From Al Wasl Plaza, where more than 250 laser projectors will create life-like visuals on the inside and outside of its massive dome, to the Republic of Korea Pavilion, whose design will constantly change through the clever use of rotating cubes. Plus there’s the Austria Pavilion, comprising 47 cones made from the world’s oldest building material (a 9,000-year-old soil), the falcon-shaped UAE Pavilion, the lantern-shaped China Pavilion – we could go on…
Gaze upon ancient Pharaohs
They are responsible for some of the greatest engineering feats in human history, so it’s only right that the ancient Pharaohs of Egypt have a temporary home among Expo 2020’s own modern architectural wonders. These antique statues depicting rulers of old are not to be missed.
Get a close-up look at what’s happening in the oceans
Walk in the tracks of mega elephants as you discover the story of Arabia, uncover the amazing network of roots and fungi that allow forest trees to communicate and meet a giant, angry fish whose body is being clogged by discarded plastic. All these and plenty more inventive, eye-opening and emotional experiences await at Terra – the Sustainability Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Jump into a time machine
We’ve already looked into the past, but the focus this time is on the future. The Egypt Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has equipped its site with its very own time machine, and promises visitors a ride to remember as they screech through the ages to witness a future that has not yet been written.
Listen to a Robo-Beethoven
The Culture Lab at the rather grand Germany Pavilion will mark the 250th birthday of famed composer Beethoven by handing the notes to his Moonlight Sonata over to a being that is hard-wired to do it justice. Robo-Beethoven will be tickling the ivories in one of the few Expo 2020 performances where the talent can’t fully appreciate their applause.
Meet the cross-country e-bike
Discover the future of personal mobility at the Ukraine Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, which will showcase an electric bicycle – or e-bike – that can travel 380km on a single charge. That’s enough to cover the distance from Dubai to Fujairah three times over…
Ride the world’s largest elevator
Explore how city life as we know it is being transformed by technologies like big data, robotics, machine learning and autonomous transport at the Mobility Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai – where you can also take a journey aboard the world’s largest elevator.
Say hello to the world’s newest country
Expo 2020 Dubai is a chance to say hello to the world’s newest country. South Sudan, founded only in 2011, will participate in its first ever World Expo right here in the UAE, where its all-white pavilion will represent a blank canvas of possibilities and showcase how this young nation plans to progress to a brighter tomorrow.
Take a trip to France
Take in the sights and smells of the French Riviera in the polygon-shaped Monaco Pavilion. Spread across multiple levels, much like the mazy streets of Monaco, the experience includes the ‘Kaleidoscope’ exhibition area where you can discover all about the nation’s art, culture, innovation, history and gastronomy.
Travel on a ropeless elevator
Known as Multi, the world’s first ropeless elevator for skyscrapers will be revealed at Expo 2020 Dubai, being selected as one of the Expo’s lighthouse projects. Multi will be used for skyscrapers, with the ability to move passengers horizontally and vertically, along with being able to move on inclines. Instead of one cabin per shaft, it offers multiple cabins operating in a loop, and that means less time waiting around for another lift to use. The system also uses 70 percent less power than conventional elevator systems, and moves at speeds of 8kph to 9kph.
Watch the UAE’s first opera, performed in two languages
Witness the UAE’s first opera, as Expo 2020 Dubai launches ‘Al Wasl’ in October 2020. Performed in Arabic and English, the production will feature more than 100 artists and musicians – exploring the nation’s Bedouin roots and the UAE’s status as a modern multicultural hub.
