Exploring Architecture of the World at the Dubai Expo 2020
Originally Posted May 20, 2022
Inside the multi-story building of the future, colorful pixels scattered across a clear screen.
The pixels gathered to form green hills that gradually transformed into pink-and-purple skyscrapers of a smart city.
A digital, life-sized human welcomed me to the future of artificial intelligence inside the Mobility Pavilion at the Dubai Expo 2020, a global event.
The expo, themed “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” had been postponed following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The setup of the expo was that of an amusement park with five idea-themed districts, including Mobility, Opportunity, Sustainability, Al Forsan, and Jubilee. Nearly 200 pavilions spanned over 2.7 miles.
Each pavilion featured unique architecture and stunning displays that educated tourists about a particular country or idea.
The Mobility Pavilion, also known as “Alif,” the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, demonstrated the progress of humanity.
Inside the pavilion, I felt like I’d been immersed into a sci-fi movie. Neon lights danced across the dark brown of my eyes as I gazed at floor-to-ceiling digital screens at every turn and listened to the surreal voices of digital humans on the surround sound.
Leaving the pavilion was like leaving a matinee as I walked out into the blinding sunlight.
Dubai in March was summer. I’d forgotten my sunglasses at the hotel, and my makeup would soon sweat off as I walked 20,000+ steps wearing platform sandals and jeans.
Between roaming from pavilion to pavilion, I drank cups of iced Spanish lattes and cans of cold water.
Of the pavilions I toured—Poland, Grenada, and Morocco, among others—my favorites were Saudi Arabia, the UK, and the United States.
The Saudi Arabia Pavilion appeared to be straight from the movie “Inception,” as the outside of the building featured a giant mirror from which tourists could see their reflections overhead.
Inside the UK Pavilion, inspired by the late scientist Stephen Hawking, artificial intelligence created poetry.
The guidelines were to enter one real word in English or Arabic on the given website and wait for the generated poem to appear. I typed in the word “dream.”
IN THE DREAM OF THE
SUN IN THE DARK OF THE
MORNING,
WILL YOU NOT SEND IT TO
ME?
The obscure “it” let my imagination establish the context.
Outside the United States Pavilion, visitors took turns posing for photos in front of the large USA sign.
Miles from home, I felt right at home next to the row of American flags flying in the breeze. Vice President Kamala Harris greeted tourists on a recorded video at the entrance of the pavilion. My smile of pride for my country was hidden beneath my mask as I toured the building.
As the sun set, the expo explorations continued.
Children gathered around a small robot rolling down the sidewalk and asked it questions. The robot responded, “I am security.” The children, clearly intrigued, stepped in closer.
After nightfall, thousands of people sang, danced, and screamed at a concert featuring Jason Derulo. The song “Whatcha Say” blared as I waited in line to board the “Garden in the Sky”—a tree-lined, windowless observation tower that lifted me up 180 feet over the expo.
There, I saw the modern beauty of Dubai from the sky.
After finally calling it a night, I waited for a bus near Boulevard 2020 Road, then rode alongside strangers back to my hotel in Abu Dhabi.
The next morning came quickly. Standing in line at Gate 34 in Terminal 3, I brought my mask two inches from my sun-kissed face and took a deep breath, trying to wake up my still-sleepy eyes.
