Dubai, the Emirati city won the bid to host the World Expo 2020, Nov. 27 amid stiff competition from the Turkish city of Izmir and Brazil's Sao Paulo. HOK, a global design firm's master plan was the winning entry that fuelled Dubai's victory, according to several news reports.
HOK's master plan beat Zaha Hadid's Lagoon-side park design to the title. Dubai will be the first country from the Emirates to host the prestigious event.
The Design
The masterpiece created by HOK and planned by architecture firm Populous will employ a large 438 hectare site in South-West Dubai. Renderings of the plan make it look like a giant inverted banana peel, where three zones branch out from a single central plaza. The design has reportedly drawn inspiration from a 'Souk', a marketplace. The large pavilions will be home to small exhibit areas and draw attention to the center, which will be a larger exhibit area.
The design perfectly justifies the Expo's theme 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future'.
Check out a video of the plan below, which explains the plan beautifully:
The venue is expected to attract more than 25 million visitors from all over the world. It will be held from October 2020 to April 2021. The U.A.E government will sanction about $35 billion for the project in 2014.
Check out more pictures of the plan, here.
Victory Speak
"This win is a testament to the commitment of the UAE citizens to create a prosperous future for their country and region. We are proud to have led the design of the Expo site and to be associated with producing a winning entry for Dubai so that this great country can continue to boost its reputation on a global stage," Daniel Hajjar, HOK's management principal in Dubai said in a statement.
Scepticism
While many are celebrating Dubai's win amid a fantastic economic recovery, analysts are worried that the boom-bust cycle might spoil the broth for the city. Experts are asserting on the city's need to maintain the balance rather than generate growth.
"The key challenge policymakers now face isn't generating growth but managing it, making sure it's sustainable and well-balanced. Policy decisions over the next 12 months will determine how successful Dubai will be in avoiding a repeat of the boom-and-bust cycle further down the line," Simon Williams, chief Middle East economist for HSBC, told Al Jazeera.
However, others are optimistic about Dubai's potential and say that the opportunity of showcasing the culture, the economic sustainability and the dedication of the Emirati city will not be missed.
"The scepticism is always there - Dubai has been raising questions around the world because we do things so fast. But have no doubts that the leadership of this country is seeing this as the opportunity to showcase Dubai at its best, and it will not miss this opportunity," Giorgio Ungania, a new media analyst, told the publication.
About the World Expo
The World Expo is the one of the largest global events after the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. Also known as the 'World's Fair', the event is a massive public exhibition where several nations come together to showcase culture, technology and innovation under a single roof. Held every five years, the World Expo comes under the International Exhibitions Bureau and is held every five years with a specific theme.
The first Expo was held in London, about a century back. The upcoming Expo will be held in Milan, Italy in 2015.
Check out a video on Expo Milan 2015 below:
