UAE picks star architect Calatrava to design Dubai Expo 2020 pavilion

The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) National Media Council said here Saturday it has selected architect Santiago Calatrava's design for the UAE Pavilion for Dubai World Expo 2020.

The UAE Pavilion, whose design was inspired by a falcon in flight, will represent the UAE to the world, said the National Media Council in an emailed statement.

Approximately 25 million visitors and participants from over 180 nations are expected to visit the expo from October 2020 to April 2021. The Gulf Arab sheikhdom of Dubai will hold the expo as the first metropolis in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

Spanish-Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava's proposal was formally selected following a seven-month design competition managed by Masdar, Abu Dhabi's renewable energy company.

The contest saw nine of the world's most renowned architectural firms submitting 11 concepts. Each design was evaluated against specific criteria, including how fully the design expressed the main theme of Expo 2020 "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future," said the media council.

Speaking of his appointment, Calatrava said "I am deeply honoured that our practice has been chosen to design the national pavilion for Dubai Expo 2020, a project of national and global significance."