Innovative Shade Structures for Expo 2020 in Dubai

Archidust is a business networking platform for the architecture and design industry. We are very pleased that our project “Shade Structure – Expo 2020” has been nominated as Archidust’s Best Project 2021 out of 1,200 submissions. For Expo 2020 in Dubai, Werner Sobek developed a trio of innovative shading systems that connect all the national pavilions. Wide-span steel frame structures were installed on a total area of 96,000 m², which provide shade during the day and serve as projection surfaces at night. A shading system consists of non-prestressed fabrics without trusses or visible straps. In case of high wind loads, the glass fibre membranes can be brought into a rest position. The second shading system consists of multi-layered horizontal cable nets supporting around 3,500 membrane figures with spans of up to 4 metres. And the third system is formed by pergolas equipped with around 5,000 climbing plants whose roots are anchored in the canopies.