Austria has recently completed the first stage of construction for its pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. A cone with a diameter of seven metres at the base now stretches up toward the sky, and 37 more cones – which together will form the pavilion ensemble – will be built on the 2,400 m² site over the next two months. The cones will be cut off at different heights ranging from 6 to 15 metres and interlaced with one another. This ambitious architectural concept uses the simple geometrical shape of a cone to create a complex structure made up of spaces that flow into each another.

Ventilative cooling concept inspired by Arab building traditions

In the exhibition area, the cones are open at the top and thus form a “semi-exterior”. The skyward openings not only create unique light and shadow effects in the interior, but are also a key aspect of the climate concept. Inspired by wind catchers used in traditional Arab architecture, the different cone heights lead to constant, cooling air movement. Together with night-time ventilation and the high thermal mass of the cones, this creates a pleasant room climate in the exhibition area using natural methods. The cones are built out of concrete and lined with loam on the interior, which helps cool down the temperature thanks to its unique physical properties. In addition, the white exterior paint of the cones reduces further heat transfer. Dense vegetation creates a shade roof in the entrance, and plants also facilitate a pleasant atmosphere in the exhibition area itself. Especially water-efficient plants are being selected for the pavilion.

Paradigmatic, innovative architecture

The intelligent climate concept allows reduced mechanical cooling of the pavilion. The room temperature in the Austria Pavilion will feel pleasant even in periods of hot weather, and the building requires 70% less energy than a conventional, climate-controlled building. The exact placement of the cones was studied in advance with extensive computer simulations, and the behaviour of the building with regard to thermodynamic effects was tested in lifelike conditions. “The location is a key determinant for us in the construction of a building. We intensively examined the climate-sensitive building methods in the Arab world for our architectural concept. We are making use of this knowledge and combining it with modern climate engineering. Our goal is to construct a sustainable building that consumes very few resources and is easy to take down again after the event,” emphasised Gerd Erhartt from the architectural firm querkraft.

In line with its guiding principle of “giving people space”, the Viennese company has realised numerous residential, office, and museum buildings, including many award-winning projects.

The use of prefabricated parts makes the Austria Pavilion easy to dismantle: Each cone is made up of concrete elements that are precast in Dubai. They are transported to the construction site by truck and assembled on-site using couplers. The individual elements can be easily removed after the pavilion is finished being used. The plan is to use them to create a new building at a different location on the Arabian Peninsula after the Expo – thanks to the high flexibility of the components, it will be possible to make something that looks completely different.

Austria Pavilion: commitment to sustainable buildings of the future

The Austria Pavilion supports Expo 2020’s vision of organising one of the most sustainable world expositions of all time. Located in the Opportunity sector, the pavilion highlights possibilities on numerous levels that go beyond sustainable construction and future-oriented buildings.

“The sustainable, responsible use of resources has a long tradition in Austria. Expo 2020 Dubai will be the biggest event in the world this year and will thus provide a global podium for the key questions of our time. We want to use this forum to showcase prototypical future scenarios for climate-neutral and resource-efficient buildings of tomorrow,” stressed Commissioner General Beatrix Karl.

Austria at the World Expo www.expoaustria.at

With its remarkable pavilion, Austria is building on the success of its presence at recent world expositions, which have attracted a great deal of public interest. The country’s site at Expo 2020 Dubai is located in the Opportunity district. Using 38 cones rendered in loam, the querkraft architectural firm is creating a pavilion that unites the advantages of traditional architecture with innovative construction methods. The exhibition is being curated and implemented by Ars Electronica Solutions and büro wien. In total, around 100 Austrian companies are involved in Austria’s presence at the Expo. Austria’s participation in the Expo is being financed with funds from the Austrian Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.