Innovations and Environmental Sustainability

“Green desert, Better environment” - The motto of the first International Horticultural Exhibition held in the Middle East and North Africa regions, aims to promote sustainable behaviours and increase environmental awareness, in order to mitigate and reduce desertification through the employment of green solutions.

The universal rendezvous brought in contact a heterogeneous group of experts with the Expo’s goals, giving birth to the KSA Pavilion project. With Expo Pavilion Group and Neon (fka Cityneon), UOOU studio was honoured to present the design and construction for the Saudi Arabian Kingdom at Expo 2023 in Doha, Qatar.

Our eco-centric vision led us to imagine an exhibition area that respects the majesty of Saudi land while inviting visitors to be part of an immersive synergic experience.

The KSA Pavillion intends to reflect the cooperation between ecosystems, communities, climate, energy, material life-cycle, and people, in order to encourage a process that will not damage the ecosystem, instead, it will enrich and regenerate it.

An Oasis in the Desert

The 5500-metre square exhibition area makes the Saudi site the second largest after Qatar’s host pavilion, offering a unique journey through a seamless experience between nature and technology. The interactive environment perfectly suits the theme of the event, allowing the visitors to learn about impactful national initiatives, focused on the promotion of modern agriculture, technology and innovation, environmental awareness, and sustainability.

The impressiveness of the Saudi Hijaz mountains inspired the KSA Pavilion’s design, giving rise to the concept of a perimetral shading system, that - reproducing the peaks’ skyline - shields the lush internal garden from the desert climate. A chosen variety of different external grounds guide the visitors’ itinerary into the natural richness of Saudi landscapes and resources.

In this designed microclimate, undulating thriving paths welcome the guests into the inner garden, shaped like the Wadis of the Saudi valleys (typical Middle Eastern seasonal rivers). The assorted typography of the country is fully showcased once the visitors set foot in the middle of the garden, where a blooming and refreshing area is framed by typical tree species (such as sidr, lavender, basil, and grey ghaf) and artificial waterways. This leafyarea - meant to offer multiple intuitive experiences - shows the deep Kingdom’s commitment to a greener tomorrow. Through the Greening Saudi initiative, indeed, Saudi Arabia is rehabilitating 40 million hectares of desert, restoring the land’s natural greenery.