In photos: What will our cities look like in the future? Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions offer a glimpse

World Expo historian Charles Pappas put it perfectly in an interview with Gulf News: "Come here if you haven't because Expo is where the future goes to be seen." While we wonder about flying cars and time machines, country pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai show us what our living spaces could look like decades from now. By 2050, the world’s population is expected to reach 9.8 billion, with 6.7 billion living in urban areas, meaning that the cities of tomorrow cannot be accidental in their design.

As Expo dives into its Urban and Rural Development Week, running until November 6, visitors will have the opportunity to see some of the latest innovations via the ‘Cities of the Future’ visitor journey. From buildings that incorporate natural elements to spaces that can quickly transform to meet changing housing or business needs, these country pavilions demonstrate how we can thrive in the face of challenges and change. The itinerary can also be accessed on the Expo 2020 mobile app under the 'Create a Journey' section.

FRANCE PAVILION invites visitors to discover its vision for the cities of the future. Ever heard of a floating art museum? A maritime ship by Art Explora plans to bring art to different corners of the world through the sea. Another project is Flying Whales that is transforming air cargo transportation - the massive airship can unlock remote areas with low environmental footprint and carry 60 tons of cargo.

BELGIUM PAVILION hones in on smart mobility and examines how AI can be used to help solve the pressing issues of our time - via a fun comic strip. Have a close look at the architecture, too. Designed by Vincent Callebaut Architectures and Assar Architects, the zero-waste building sports a vertical garden of 10,000 plants that are capable of absorbing up to 35 tonnes of carbon dioxide and converting it into oxygen during the event run. It is a concept known as biomimicry, where problem-solving designs are modelled on nature.

POLAND PAVILION is a tree-like wooden structure, with a kinetic sculpture representing flying birds. Inside, visitors can discover an artistic table that not only you can talk to but learn from about building materials used in space, innovative wood inlays and the terrain of upcoming Polish smart cities.

ESTONIA PAVILION is lit with more than 400 neon blue lightbulbs from within. The country has gone completely digital - you can even buy a house online without ever walking into a real estate office. In here, e-Estonia spotlights its city Tartu and how smart crosswalks and traffic signs use LED and voice command warnings to alert all road users of possible collision hazards. While it measures the speed of the road users, the sign is also capable of monitoring air pollution levels and classifying vehicles by length.

SWEDEN PAVILION is a walk in Nordic forests. Within the Sustainability District, ‘The Forest’ stands out enclosed by a cluster of tree stumps taller than the pavilion facade, the trunks shipped directly from Sweden. On the ground level, exhibition zones are scattered to resemble forest glades, like clearings hidden behind rows of tree trunks that visitors will chance upon during their stroll. This is just but one Swedish vision of a smart city - visit the pavilion for more insight on how we can live in harmony with Nature.

MALAYSIA PAVILION wants cities of the future to embrace carbon-reduction strategies. With an ‘Energising Sustainability’ theme, the pavilion itself is net-zero, offsetting emissions released through the construction, operations and materials.

GUINEA PAVILION invites visitors to share their water solutions towards the end of their journey. You will have an active role in redirecting billions of cubic metres of surface and underground water to people in Guinea and improving their access to it. The pavilion also presents the country’s Vision 2040 initiative, which serves as a blueprint for the African city of tomorrow, with new ways to contract sustainable housing that is more resilient to climate change and combines ancestral methods with modern technology.

GERMANY PAVILION's Future City Lab imagines how cities will function in decades to come. Mirrored walls and ceiling here give the impression of never-ending urbanisation and visualises our ever-growing urban population.

INDIA PAVILION showcases the ‘Smart City Mission’, an urban programme making smarter and more sustainable cities across the vast South Asia economic powerhouse.

CHINA PAVILION features plenty of ground-breaking innovations, from smart homes to intelligent agriculture. It invites visitors to experience the latest 5G, AI and smart travel.

BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG PAVILION is a wooden hybrid ‘house’ that embodies the innovation and sustainability of the German region, featuring cutting-edge research and development.