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Campus Germany - The German Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai
Campus Germany - The German Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Other Projects by LAVA - Laboratory for Visionary Architecture
Campus Germany - The German Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2020
SIZE
3000 sqft - 5000 sqft
What role does experiential architecture play in an increasingly virtual world? In designing the German pavilion at Expo 2020, LAVA leaned into discovering what physical space can contribute to the virtual: a rich, social experience based upon a deep phenomenological connection to place and the joy of serendipitous human connection, together, setting the conditions for mutual respect, exchange, cooperation and the advancement of society.
The 4,800-square-meter structure is organized as a vertical campus, a stack of cantilevered cubes symbolizing Germany’s federal states. These modular volumes frame a central atrium—a civic heart of the pavilion—where a large stepped forum promotes gathering, dialogue, and orientation. This three-dimensional circulation strategy transforms the campus into an interconnected hub of interaction, maximizing engagement within a compact footprint.
Visitors progress through a narrative-rich exhibition sequence—Energy Lab, Future City Lab, and Biodiversity Lab—culminating in a shared space celebrating the power of collective action. Designed to operate for six months, the pavilion welcomed up to 10,000 visitors daily, guided by data-informed spatial planning principles that optimize flow and accessibility.
Sustainability was a core design driver. The pavilion employed FSC-certified timber, lightweight steel, and a single-layer ETFE façade with operable openings for responsive climate adaptation. Passive cooling strategies, transitional climate zones, and a forest canopy-like roof supported efficient thermal regulation in Dubai’s extreme conditions. Following the expo, the structure was entirely dismantled and 86% of materials and equipment were reused—an expression of LAVA’s circular design ethos, and a reflection of the studio’s evolving ability to conceive architecture as adaptable systems, designed not only for performance today, but for renewal and relevance tomorrow.
The 4,800-square-meter structure is organized as a vertical campus, a stack of cantilevered cubes symbolizing Germany’s federal states. These modular volumes frame a central atrium—a civic heart of the pavilion—where a large stepped forum promotes gathering, dialogue, and orientation. This three-dimensional circulation strategy transforms the campus into an interconnected hub of interaction, maximizing engagement within a compact footprint.
Visitors progress through a narrative-rich exhibition sequence—Energy Lab, Future City Lab, and Biodiversity Lab—culminating in a shared space celebrating the power of collective action. Designed to operate for six months, the pavilion welcomed up to 10,000 visitors daily, guided by data-informed spatial planning principles that optimize flow and accessibility.
Sustainability was a core design driver. The pavilion employed FSC-certified timber, lightweight steel, and a single-layer ETFE façade with operable openings for responsive climate adaptation. Passive cooling strategies, transitional climate zones, and a forest canopy-like roof supported efficient thermal regulation in Dubai’s extreme conditions. Following the expo, the structure was entirely dismantled and 86% of materials and equipment were reused—an expression of LAVA’s circular design ethos, and a reflection of the studio’s evolving ability to conceive architecture as adaptable systems, designed not only for performance today, but for renewal and relevance tomorrow.
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