IRAQ PAVILION
Location: Expo 2020, Dubai, UAE
Design Director: Raya Ani
Company Name: RAW-NYC Architects
Category: Architecture
Year: 2021
The Iraq pavilion is located in the Opportunity District, one of the sub-themes of Expo 2020. The design of the pavilion reflects on opportunities as a way to create new beginnings to build a future for Iraq.
Thousands of years ago, two rivers the Tigris and Euphrates, offered an opportunity to host the beginnings of human civilization. The first farm settlements were formed and farmers grew crops and caught fish.
The Saliya, a traditional fishing net that symbolizes wealth, wisdom, and goodness in Mesopotamian culture was the inspiration for the shell structure of the Iraq Pavilion. The design recalls the organic flowing form of the net casting technique, mirroring the catching of future opportunities for a new Iraq in a global development context.
Two media walls were incorporated to outline the pattern of the two rivers starting from north and meeting south, representing the rich history of the land of the two rivers. The visitors experience of traveling down the river engages the visitor with the content presented to open possibilities for Iraq and to (re) build relationships for Iraqis on a global level. This promotes collaboration and unlocks business and development opportunities.
Creating a large outdoor space to shade the experience of the visitor was the main spatial principle of the design. Out of the designer’s awareness and sense of responsibility to the importance of creating environments that are energy-efficient, the design leverages shading and passive cooling strategies to allow natural light and air movement into the pavilion through the sides of the net openings. This translates to energy savings while activating cooling fans and misting, when shading and natural ventilation are not enough to mitigate heat stress during the 6-month duration of Expo.
The bright colors used on the shell structure represent the photovoltaic power potential on the map of Iraq. It shows the amount of electricity generated and the available opportunities for solar energy in Iraq.
The number 7 represented in the seven palm trees used in the project has its significance in Mesopotamian culture. Shade and shadow are a major concept throughout the pavilion, evoking the sense of being shaded under palm trees. The shadows coupled with palm tree imprints on the walls create a dialog between the shadows celebrating palm trees, the nature of Iraq, and the symbolic use of the number 7.
The design provided a platform for the people of Iraq to showcase their talents through poetry, calligraphy, literature, and paintings. It also highlights, in the form of a mural, the most ancient example of written literature – The Epic of Gilgamesh.
