Dubai: The masterplan for Dubai Trade Centre-Jebel Ali, the proposed site to host the six-month World Expo 2020, was selected due to its strategic location, equidistant between Dubai and Abu Dhabi and adjacent to the Dubai World Central airport and Jebel Ali Port, providing ease of access for the millions of international and local visitors expected.
The site masterplan, which was designed by HOK, Populus and Arup. Inspired by traditional Arab souqs, the site integrates the UAE’s unique architectural heritage and environment of vibrancy and trade with the requirements of the Expo to foster the fundamental principles of innovation, partnership and collaboration between participants and visitors.
“Today, we are very pleased to share the masterplan for Dubai Trade Centre-Jebel Ali, our proposed site to host the 2020 World Expo,” Reem Al Hashemi, UAE Minister of State and Managing Director of the Higher Committee for Hosting the 2020 World Expo in Dubai said. “This 438-hectare site will be one of the largest ever used for a World Expo and will ensure an unforgettable experience for the event’s 25 million visitors, who will collectively make upwards of 33 million visits. Throughout the development process, we have also sought to ensure that the site will serve as a permanent attraction beyond 2020 and will enhance further the UAE’s long-term appeal as a premier destination for high-profile global events.”
The design is aligned to the legacy proposition and future use of the site, with the main walkways shaded by a photovoltaic fabric structure, which will capture solar energy to generate clean power, plus contribute nearly 50 per cent of the power requirements that are needed for Expo.
Helal Saeed Al Merri, CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre, said: “Legacy planning will be deployed at the earliest stages of Expo preparations, leveraging every opportunity for Dubai Expo 2020 to re-energise research, innovation and collaboration across the site, and truly resonating the core principles of our bid theme and sub-themes. Every element of the masterplan has been designed with due consideration to its after-life and with a defined strategy for re-use, striking a balance between long-term requirements for the city as well as the six months of Expo operations. The Dubai Trade Centre-Jebel Ali Site has been master-planned to create a legacy in environmental sustainability for the BIE and the global community, while delivering a cost-efficient and viable infrastructure for Dubai and the region.”
