The three Expo Entry Portals to Expo 2020 Dubai have been revealed with just over 250 days to go until the opening.
The striking entrances that will welcome millions of visitors from around the world were designed by the architect of Expo 2020 Dubai’s Public Realm Asif Khan and his studio.
Each are woven entirely from strands of ultra-lightweight carbon-fibre composite that “lend incredible structural strength”. This enables the ethereal structures to reach higher than a six-storey building and span 30 metres without any additional support.
Each portal features two vast doors, 21 metres high and 10.5 metres wide, that will be opened every morning of the 173 days of Expo 2020 in a symbolic act of welcoming the world. The portals lead to tree-filled arrival courtyards, also designed in collaboration with Khan – one in each of the three Expo 2020 districts: opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Adding to the rich history of innovative structures from past World Expos, these portals are a future form of architecture inspired by the aesthetics of the region. The portals have been described by the event’s organisers as a futuristic adaptation of “the traditional mashrabiya,” an intricate design used across the region to regulate light and airflow. British architect Khan described the Expo Entry Portals as his best work yet.
“The portals are the first thing you see as you approach the site, so they are a landmark at the beginning and end of your journey at Expo 2020,” he said. “I would like visitors to Expo, especially children, to be inspired by architecture they have never seen before, and to be excited that it is part of the heritage of the region. Passing through the doors represents a physical and symbolic act of moving from the past into the future.”
The portals will greet millions of visitors to the largest event ever to be held in the Arab world. Their intricate structures reportedly took three years to develop and are the first element to be fully revealed from Khan’s design of Expo 2020’s Public Realm. Once completed, the area will comprise more than 6km of walkable areas across the site.
Ahmed Al Khatib, chief development and delivery officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, added: “We cannot wait to open our doors to the world on 20 October 2020, and the Expo Entry Portals will provide a wonderful way to welcome millions of people from across the globe to The World’s Greatest Show, giving a first taste of the amazing architecture and groundbreaking innovation they will experience all around the site.”