These long channels, which lead visitors to the site’s state-of-the-art auditorium,
exhibition and restaurant spaces; are lined with a digital form of an irrigation aqueduct.
By using augmented reality devices, the story of the Emirates are brought to life. To
future “convey a distinctive sense of place, described Foster, “the texture of the walls
derives from a scan taken in the desert and construction will utilize materials to
represent the different shades of sand across the Emirates. The GRC panels are
supported by a steel frame which can be easily demounted and reconstructed for the
pavilion’s eventual relocation in the UAE”.
At the end of the exhibition trail visitors reach a green oasis leading into a ground level
cafe, with a formal restaurant on the first floor and a hospitality roof terrace on top. The
landscaping around the pavilion and in the open public areas is designed to evoke the
terrain and flora of the UAE.