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Expo 2020 Dubai: Spain pavilion welcomes 500,000 visitors

Pavilion is an eco-friendly exhibition that seamlessly blends ancient heritage and cutting-edge innovation

The Spain Pavilion in the heart of the Sustainability District at Expo 2020 Dubai has recorded a total of 500,000 visits since its opening on October first.

Themed "Intelligence for life", the pavilion aims to become an example of intelligent creativity, capable of uniting people around sustainable projects in the fields of science, technology, education, and art.

In a recent survey carried by the pavilion in regards to how much visitors would recommend on a scale from 1 to 5, stopping by (being 5 highly recommended), the pavilion reached an average score of 4.7.

Moreover, since Expo was inaugurated, 33,976 children from the kinder garden to C3 have visited the Spain pavilion. When speaking with Expo school guides about the reaction among the pupils and teens, responses were very positive being ‘The forest of intelligence’ the most sought-after attraction for children of all ages. For the little ones, the second most popular exhibit is the August Moon movie, while for older students (15+ y/o), is divided between the dynamo sculpture and the giant chessboard.

Speaking of the occasion, Carmen Bueno Executive Commissioner of the Pavilion said, "We are delighted with the great reception we have had since the very beginning but especially, with the response that visitors are showing. With all the wonderful pavilions at Expo not to mention all the incredible attractions that the UAE has to offer, reaching such incredible feedback, is something we definitely feel very proud of. I welcome everyone who hasn’t had the opportunity to visit us yet, to experience all the different attractions that make our pavilion unique as well as, to discover all the actions Spain is taking to champion sustainability in an innovative way.

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Commissioned to Amann-Cánovas-Maruri studio, the Spain Pavilion is an eco-friendly exhibition that seamlessly blends ancient heritage and cutting-edge innovation. The Pavilion stands out for its enormous colourful cones, partially covered with ultralight and flexible photovoltaic panels that led visitors to an airy ground floor containing several, naturally cooled plazas featuring, ‘Glimpses’, a series of exhibitions synthesizing some of the most relevant contributions of Spain to the global culture and highlighting some of the historical links between the country and the Arab culture.

Connecting the old and the new, is Dynamo, an audio-visual sculpture by renowned artist Daniel Cologar. The artistic installation hangs inside the Atrium and is surrounded by the ramps that descend visitors into the Theatre and the underground exhibition area. It consists of three sculptural screens in the form of an interlaced ringlet that show constantly changing generative audio-visual content thanks to the visitors’ interaction with the handrails along the ramp. As the handrail detects more contact, the content on the screens of Dynamo become more dynamic and saturated; and the sound intensifies.

At the Pavilion theatre, visitors have also the opportunity to enjoy ‘August Moon’, an 8-minute movie by one of the most creative minds in the Spanish film industry today, Nacho Vigalondo. Following Expo 2020 Dubai theme, ‘Connecting minds, Creating the future', and the slogan of the Spain Pavilion, ‘Intelligence for life’, the film presents Spain as a dynamic, lively country, brimming with talent and creativity, that is committed to a sustainable and inclusive future.

On the lower floor, visitors can find the most sought-after attraction at the pavilion, ‘The forest of intelligence’. A 3D printed artificial forest capable of producing oxygen and an interactive tree that reacts to the sustainable habits of the public. A mix of design, art and technology to create a unique immersive experience in which the richness of the Spanish heritage, science, biodiversity, innovations in sustainability and the circular economy are highlighted.

The exhibition ends with a ramp that accompanies visitors along a 100-m long corridor with pictures of Spaniards of all ages, classes and backgrounds smiling at visitors while texts appear with some of the highlights that make Spain one of the countries with the best quality of life.

During the six months of the Expo, a total of 32 Spanish companies, including 200 artists, will present their work in Dubai. Around 100 shows will take place in the Spain Pavilion and on the main stages in the Expo venue. Inside the pavilion, numerous activities ranging from arts to sports are taking place with thematic weeks and international days, along with, business forums and activities organised by its sponsors.