Emirates has revealed plans for its pavilion for next year’s Expo 2020 in Dubai. The airline will be presenting visions for the future of commerical aviation at the event, which will cover everything from windowless fuselages to ‘smart’ seats.
Work has begun on the construction of the Emirates Expo 2020 pavilion, which has been designed to “reflect the dynamic lines of aircraft wings ready to take flight”. It will have 26 slanted fins that cover the entirety of the building and will be covered with more than 800 metres of LED lights to “create multi-sensory effects and movement across the structure” on a nightly basis.
The 3,300 sqm three-storey structure will be located near the UAE Pavilion and within walking distance of the Al Wasl Pavilion at the epicentre of the Expo 2020 Dubai site. Big enough to host 56,000 visitors a month, the solar-powered building will even have a skygarden.
What will commercial aviation look like in the future?
The Emirates pavilion will showcase the science of flight, advancements in engine technologies, new aerospace materials that increase performance and reduce fuel consumption, and fuselage designs that are focused on elevating passenger comfort and well-being.
Emirates says that “whether its advancements in technology, materials or spacial design, the future of aircraft cabin design will take comfort and passenger well-being to another level and redefine how we experience flying”. The pavilion will explore dynamic seating layouts and ergonomics, immersive onboard experiences and intelligent interfaces, windowless fuselages and “smart seats“.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group, said: “The aim for our pavilion is very much in line with that of Expo 2020 Dubai, to stimulate connections, create experiences and foster creativity and innovation, inspiring a commitment for a better future.
“The forward-thinking experiences will highlight the best that is yet to come in aviation and will be a platform to showcase how important mobility is for the world today and in the future.
“Air travel has transformed the ability of people to experience everything that the world has to offer. Expo 2020, and Emirates as our Official Airline Partner, will be bringing all of that together in one place, Dubai, in 2020. And the Emirates Pavilion will tell the incredible story of the role that air travel will continue to play in transforming mobility and shaping our futures.”
Expo 2020 will run from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021, and will feature 190 country pavilions, daily live events, parades, music, cultural festivals, talks and workshops. There will also be more than 200 dining experiences.
The first World Expo was held in 1851 in London, and was attended by six million people including famous people such as Charles Darwin, George Elliot and Charles Dickens.