ENOC marks ground-breaking of its Expo 2020 Dubai pavilion under the theme ‘Reimagine Energy’

ENOC Group, the Official Integrated Energy Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, today marked the ground-breaking of its Expo 2020 Dubai pavilion, located near the UAE pavilion and between the Sustainability and Opportunity Districts.

Under the theme of ‘Reimagine Energy’, the pavilion will be split across five distinct pavilion structures or ‘houses’ inspired by traditional oil storage tanks drawing inspiration from ENOC’s heritage. Collectively, these houses explore humankind’s relationship with energy from the beginning of time in an immersive, multi-format experience for visitors of all ages. 

Through a unique architectural approach and a myriad of sensory experiences including juxtaposition, audio-visual narratives and interactive projections, the pavilion is modelled to challenge typical ideas of ‘energy’ while facilitating a conversation around the evolution of the sector.

At a special ceremony held at the Expo 2020 site, His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group Chief Executive Officer of ENOC, officiated the ground-breaking of the ENOC pavilion in the presence of Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali, Executive Director, Expo 2020 Dubai. 

HE Saif Humaid Al Falasi, ENOC Group CEO, said, “‘Reimagine Energy’, as a theme, will guide all of ENOC’s activity at Expo 2020, including environmental design and build. Across every touchpoint, we will focus on using sustainable materials and leverage advanced technologies that reduce our ecological footprint. We are partnering with world-class experts to ensure our pavilion gives visitors an unforgettable experience and we will make sure this is done with sustainable design considerations in mind.” 

Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali said: “Expo 2020 will invite millions of visitors from around the world and inspire them to create a better future for our planet. ENOC, through its pavilion, will help them understand how the business of energy affects us all. With new insights into the opportunities open to us, we’re looking forward to sharing with the world how collaboration can shape the future of sustainable energy.”

Scheduled for completion in July 2020, the pavilion is executed by a team of expert professionals with Jack Morton as Lead Designer and Project Management Consultant; Cundall as Engineering Consultant; ALEC, as general contractor; and SRP as Executive Architect. 

The pavilion will be built on steel foundations to minimise use of concrete, which will reduce excavation works and environmental impact across the supply chain and during construction as well as facilitate future legacy programmes.

The pavilion’s steel structures will be clad with curved aluminium sheets, featuring raw uncoated and powder coated smooth and perforated finishes. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, there are several other benefits to the use of aluminium as it is recyclable, and its light weight minimises the weight of steel needed for the superstructure. 

Four of the pavilion houses will be open to visitors at all times, with four distinct ‘chapters’ exploring energy through the lens of: Discover – what energy is; Harness – what energy enables; Collaborate – what energy needs; and Reimagine – what energy promises. A fifth structure, ‘The Hive’, will be a dedicated, multi-functional space for government and industry stakeholders to collaborate in finding solutions to the industry’s unanswered questions.

‘Reimagine Energy’ will offer a multi-sensory experience using ultra-haptic technology, moving image, kinetic installation and interactive projection to allow visitors to ‘feel’ and interact with energy throughout. The flooring of kinetic play areas will be made of recycled rubber while the condensation from air-conditioning will be harvested for landscape irrigation.