Iconic Slovenian pavilion on Dubai Expo provided with Urbanscape® SemperGreenwall

Slovenia will present itself at Dubai Expo as a country of know-how, innovation and energy. To convey this message, architect Robert Klun of Magnet Design d.o.o. designed an iconic pavilion, which received an honourable mention for Interior Design at the Architecture MasterPrize in Los Angeles, even before the official opening of Dubai Expo on October 1, 2021. The oval-designed building is equipped all around with an Urbanscape® SemperGreenwall. The lush green wall measures no less than 465 square meters and is locally pre-grown with façade plants, which represent the vast forests of Slovenia.

Slovenian Pavilion combines water, forest and wood within ‘Smart Green Experience’

At Dubai Expo, Slovenia - the only country in the world with ‘love’ in its name - presents its love for the beauty of nature, a healthy lifestyle and tourism opportunities. The slogan of the Slovenian pavilion is ‘Smart Green Experience’ and combines three natural elements: water, forest and wood. All building elements are prefabricated, durable and recyclable. Above the beautiful water feature a floating forest called ‘Smart Green Cloud’ is created, depicted in the form of a green wall at a height of 4 meters. The forest symbolizes the natural wealth of Slovenia, which lies in the green heart of Europe. The living wall is crowned with a wooden umbrella shaped dome. By using the elements of water, nature and technology, all senses are stimulated to give visitors an in-depth insight into Slovenian culture.

The living wall represents the Slovenian natural landscape

Urbanscape® SemperGreenwall ultimate solution for Slovenian pavilion

The Urbanscape® SemperGreenwall turned out to be the ultimate solution to display the forest on the special oval shape of the Slovenian pavilion. The project was a logistical challenge at height whilst being installed under extremely high outside temperatures. The green wall is 6 meters high and is located at a height of 4 to 10 meters. Thanks to the flexible building blocks of the Urbanscape® SemperGreenwall, the Flexipanels, the living wall could be installed all around. The installation took a total of 19 days and consists of more than 1,500 Flexipanels, which are pre-grown locally with over 45,000 plants.

The green wall consists of Flexipanels, which have been pregrown locally in the Sempergreen Middle East nursery

“Thanks to the unique Plant Care System, the plants are monitored remotely and therefore always supplied with the right amount of water and nutrients, so that the plants always remain healthy even in the dry climate of Dubai. Moreover, the plants provide a pleasant climate for the visitors.” - Annie Hasnain of Sempergreen Middle East

The installation of the more than 1,500 Flexipanels was a logistical challenge up in the air

Official handover to Minister of Economic Affairs Zdravko Počivalšek

On January 25, 2021, Minister of Economic Affairs Zdravko Počivalšek symbolically took over management of the pavilion on behalf of Slovenia as part of his official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). "The pavilion, which is a real green oasis, will certainly attract a lot of attention," said the minister. The pavilion is located at the entrance of the Expo complex, which is an added advantage. Počivalšek added: "The timing is perfect as Slovenia is expected to receive additional attention in light of its EU Presidency in the second half of 2021, when the Expo is scheduled."

The greenery on the facade has been specifically adapted to the local climate

Dubai Expo 2020 – Connecting Minds, Creating the Future

The world exhibition in Dubai is the first in the Gulf region and was originally scheduled for 2020. However, Covid-19 forced the organization to postpone the program. World exhibitions are held every five years with a duration of six months. The term will now be from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. More than 200 countries and organizations will be represented on a total of 83 pavilions. The organization expects 20 to 25 million business and private visitors. Within the slogan ‘Connecting Minds, creating the Future’, three sub-themes are visible at Dubai Expo: ‘Opportunities, Mobility and Sustainability’.

The pavilion has been designed by the Slovenian architect Robert Klun of Magnet Design 

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