The pioneering legacy of Expo 2020 Dubai,
which had been at the heart of the planning since the beginning, Expo City
Dubai is based on the belief that a broad coalition of people working together
can create a more sustainable and dignified future for all. Designed as a
blueprint for sustainable urban planning, it has retained 80 per cent of the
infrastructure built for the Expo and is part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master
Plan.
With a low-rise ‘campus’ feel and
world-class architecture, this extraordinary destination is the largest in the
world to be fully covered by a 5G-enabled network and features offices, leisure
facilities, dining options and event venues. It has retained a number of the
Expo’s flagship pavilions and entertainment and technology offerings including
Alif – The Mobility Pavilion, which transports visitors through time to
discover how mobility has driven human progress, and Terra – The Sustainability
Pavilion, a world-class example of sustainable best practice in architecture
and design that encourages visitors to re-evaluate their relationship with the
environment on an immersive journey through ocean and forest.
Across all these key pavilions, varied
indoor and outdoor venues can provide inspirational settings for planners,
ranging from intimate meeting rooms to larger spaces that can accommodate
entertainment and gala dinners.
And at the heart of the offering for
meeting planners within Expo City is the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC); with
45,000 square metres of dedicated, flexible events space, the venue is already
building on the strong reputation it built during Expo 2020 for hosting major
international conferences, congresses and other business events.
Iconic places to meet
Iconic attractions across the district are
also set to become mainstays on itineraries, including:
Al Wasl Plaza – once upon a time, Dubai was
known by travellers as Al Wasl, meaning ‘the connection’ in Arabic. This
stunning dome tall enough to house the Leaning Tower of Pisa was designed to be
the focal meeting point of the Expo and at night is transformed into a
360-degree projection screen.
The Surreal Waterfall – one of the biggest
attractions, visitors can dip their feet into the cooling waters of this
fire-spitting water feature that appears to defy gravity at night and is set to
specially-commissioned music.
The Garden in the Sky observation tower,
which rotates 55m above ground offering its visitors spectacular views.
Clean and green
Expo City Dubai boasts more than 120
LEED-certified buildings and eight CEEQUAL-certified projects, each achieving
the top ‘Excellent’ rating, epitomising the highest levels of sustainable
design, construction and operations.
It also retains Expo 2020’s pioneering
urban development initiatives, such as the world’s largest installation of
MindSphere – Siemens’ cloud technology platform that uses smart metering and
sensors to monitor energy consumption and efficiency of power, light, water and
climate conditioning systems.
Already becoming the go-to destination for
globally significant events that support the UAE’s wider diversification and
growth aims, Expo City Dubai will host the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference
(COP 28), bringing together global leaders and experts to take concrete action
and identify solutions that contribute to overcoming challenges, and seizing
opportunities to ensure a sustainable future for present and future
generations.
Steen Jakobsen, Associate Vice President,
Dubai Business Events, said: “Expo 2020 Dubai was a landmark event for the
city, demonstrating our ability to host events of any scale and add momentum to
the development of the wider destination. In this exciting new phase, we expect
Expo City Dubai – with its robust infrastructure, variety of attractions and
dedicated events facilities – to be a major draw for meeting planners.”
For details on hosting events in Dubai,
contact: askdbe@dubaidet.ae
This article is brought to you by Dubai Business Events.