Thematic District, Expo 2020, Dubai

The largest constructed area of Expo 2020, known as the “Thematic Districts,” was masterplanned, designed, and executed by Hopkins Architects. This new section of the city will be home to over 87 new permanent buildings and feature the artwork of over 136 participating countries in this year’s covid-delayed exhibition. Hopkins, who is sensitive to context, has concentrated on climate and culture to produce something that is native to the place rather than something that is forced onto it. At the core of the Expo project are three petal-shaped districts that stand for Mobility, Opportunity, and Sustainability. These districts are connected to the central Al Wasl Plaza. The three building zones that make up the Expo 2020 Thematic Districts radiate out from the site’s center and each have a site size of about 50,000 square meters. It’s meant to be an extremely