The Expo 2020 district in Dubai will include 65,000 sqm of residential space and 135,000 sqm of commercial space after the mega event closes, it was announced today.
Full details of the legacy plans for the “District 2020” are set to be unveiled to the public on Monday at Cityscape Global 2017 in Dubai, according to a statement carried by UAE state news agency WAM.
The plan will direct what happens at the site after the Expo closes in late 2021. “It will be a long-term economic contributor for the UAE as a home for innovators, original thinkers and pioneers, creating jobs and attracting investment,” according to the statement.
The area “will be home to world-class innovation, educational, cultural and entertainment facilities as well as a conference and exhibition centre.”
Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Director-General of Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, said, “Back in 2013 when we won the bid to host this great event, we set ourselves two clear objectives in line with our leaders’ vision, which were to stage a World Expo that would amaze the world and build a lasting legacy with a global destination that offers a new alternative for urban living.
“Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, instructed us to build a site for a permanent legacy and therefore we had to think of ways to capitalise on what was being built for Expo as well as for post-Expo.
“We have created District 2020 to achieve that goal. It has been a key part of our planning from the very start, not just for our Legacy Team but the entire Expo organisation.”
Part of the District 2020 plan includes a conference and exhibition centre being developed by Dubai World Trade Centre.