German state Baden-Württemberg unveils innovative pavilion

The southern German state of Baden-Württemberg on Wednesday revealed its pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, unveiling a state-of-the-art building complete with cold air lake and artificial mist.

The Baden-Württemberg House, as the pavilion will be known, will showcase the region’s engineering prowess and future-shaping technologies, as well as its collaborative efforts to generate smart, sustainable solutions. It will be located in Expo 2020’s Opportunity District.

It is the first time the state, a leading economic area in Germany which houses the headquarters of several world-famous automobile producers, has participated in a World Expo.

His Excellency Dr Florian Stegmann, State Secretary and Head of the State Chancellery in the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg, said: “BadenWürttemberg is proud to be part of Expo 2020 Dubai. With the pavilion, the
Baden-Württemberg House, we will show a global audience the exceptional innovativeness of our region and the latest smart and sustainable solutions.”

Picture: German state Baden-Württemberg unveils innovative pavilion

Daniel Sander, Director and Daniel Strowitzki, Deputy Director of the Baden-Württemberg House, said: “Everyone is invited to experience our high-tech industry of tomorrow and the latest developments and technologies from the areas of architecture, structural design and building technology. At the same time, companies will have the opportunity to present themselves, their products and services in various ways to the world public.”

Millions of visitors from around the world are expected to attend Expo 2020, which runs for six months from October 2020. To date, 190 countries, including Germany, have confirmed their participation at the next World Expo, which will be held under the theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.

Describing the Baden-Württemberg House as “a symbol of success”, Najeeb Mohammed Al Ali, Executive Director, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, said: “Expo 2020 is proud to showcase the best of regional economies and their
ability to make a global impact. Baden-Württemberg’s strength has been significantly shaped by focusing on both the global and the local, something that Expo 2020 aims to capture too.”

The Baden-Württemberg House concept emerged as the winner in a competition among the region’s top engineers and architects. It was created by VON M (architecture and communication), Knippers Helbig (supporting structure and facade) and Transsolar (climate engineering, mechanical, electrical and plumbing).

Boris Peter, Matthias Siegert and Matthias Schuler from the winning design team, said: “The pavilion is a symbol of how many players in BadenWürttemberg are working together towards the future and generating powerful solutions to meet the challenges that lie ahead. Our original idea for the building aimed for an interdisciplinary approach, whereby all disciplines were involved in the design creation process.

“Under the body of the building, there is a ‘cold air lake’, which was developed to represent Baden-Württemberg’s identity. After entering the premises, visitors can literally immerse themselves in this ‘lake’, which we make visible with a so-called ‘innovation cloud’ – an artificially created layer of mist.”