DUBAI: Dubai-based Arabtec Construction has won the Dh353-million contract to build the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, the firm and the National Media Council (NMC) announced on Tuesday.
Arabtec Group CEO Hamish Tyrwhitt said in a statement to Dubai Financial Market (DFM), “The UAE Pavilion project marks yet another achievement on our road map to a sustainable and successful future. It highlights our strategic focus on the UAE as our core market and also demonstrates our commitment to building our future through the development of social infrastructure in addition to instilling a performance-based culture within our organisation.”
Arabtec’s share prices climbed over 12 per cent on the news, leading gains on the Dubai bourse.
Sneak peek: UAE's Expo 2020 pavillion will look like this!
The NMC, the government entity responsible for building and operating the UAE Pavilion, said in a press statement that Arabtec won the contract over three other shortlisted local and international companies, from a total of nine initial bids.
Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, whose work includes the WTC Hub in New York and Rio de Janeiro’s Museum of Tomorrow, has been chosen to design the pavilion following an international competition that saw nine international firms submit 11 designs.
Arabtec, in its statement to DFM, where it is publicly listed, said Calatrava’s design was inspired by a falcon in flight.
The NMC, in its statement, wrote, “The UAE pavilion will be one of the most important landmarks at the Expo 2020 Dubai, reflecting the authenticity and heritage of the UAE, its achievements in various sectors as well as the nation’s values of openness, communication and tolerance, which are in line with the main theme of the exhibition.”
The 15,000-square-metre pavilion will be located opposite Expo 2020 DUbai’s central Al Wasl Plaza. Expo 2020 Dubai is expected to attract 25 million visitors from more than 180 countries.
The upper floor of the pavilion spans an area of 2,000 square metres while the mezzanine floor will have an area of 662 square metres. The ground floor, with gardens and parking spaces, sprawls over 13,300 square metres. Another 3,000 square metres will be set aside for a plaza level and related facilities.
The pavilion’s design and construction aim to achieve the highest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating.
