Publication date: 
2021/10/11

A special mini-city in the shape of a shamrock, built in one of the United Arab Emirates, shows how each country envisions the technology of the future. Each has taken on the task in its own way. Some are building on tradition, while others are trying to better align humanity's functioning with nature.

More than half of the world's countries have futuristic pavilions. There are also small islands in the Pacific, but surprisingly you won't find Iceland on the long list of countries.

The main motto of the Universal World Expo 2020, which has been postponed by a year due to the pandemic, is Sustainability, Mobility and Opportunity. Each of the three areas of the exhibition area corresponds to one word of the motto.

The Czech pavilion is located in the green "sustainability" area, right next to the main entrance of the venue. The glass flasks in the main exhibition, located on the ground floor, resemble a futuristic fountain, but it is a sophisticated S.A.W.E.system that produces water from the air using solar energy.

Upstairs, visitors can virtually transport themselves to the Czech Republic. Thanks to the Czech Tourism exhibition, after putting on the VR goggles one can find oneself in a swimming pool in Mariánské Lázně, in a Moravian vineyard or on the rocks in the Český Ráj mountains.

In the next room, visitors can print their own snowflake on a 3D printer from Průša Research company. The central exhibit is the world's largest polished glass sculpture called Venus created by Vlastimil Beránek.

"The national exhibition is a glimpse into the future. This is true of energy innovation, of the freedom offered by 3D printing, of visionary visual art. The counterpoint to the original Czech technologies is the emphasis on the protection of natural resources and the responsibility for the future of the whole world," says Jiří František Potužník, General Commissioner of the Czech Republic's participation in the Dubai Expo.

On the ground floor opposite the S.A.W.E.R. system, everyone can also enjoy refreshments in a typically Czech restaurant.  However the prices here are quite inflated. For a small Pilsner beer, visitors will pay 300 crowns and for a sirloin steak almost a thousand crowns.

Right next to the Czech exposition is the Singapore pavilion covered with plants in small pots. However, only visitors who do not have a high temperature can pass through the entrance. As a reminder of the pandemic, Singapore is the only exhibitor in Dubai to apply such strict controls.

Inside, it looks like a botanical garden. Visitors learn from the guides that there are 1,770 plants growing here and among them are up to 50 species of orchids. The Singapore Pavilion offers a glimpse of what a city in nature can look like operating with the help of smart and sustainable solutions.

Singapore's Green Pavilion has attracted many visitors.

"We have solar panels on the roof that produce enough electricity to provide light but also to control the watering of the plants. We draw water from a well that we drilled under the pavilion," adds tour guide Rachel.

The New Zealand pavilion is also worth a visit in the green area. The island country has relied on waterfalls and the ubiquitous I AM signs but above all on the inspiration of waka taonga pots made by the Maori, the original inhabitants of New Zealand.

The projection showcases the indigenous people, the traditional Maori martial dance of Haka and how the country is preserving ancient traditions despite modern technology.

Two of the most architecturally interesting buildings stand out in the orange "Opportunity" area. At 4,636 square metres, the Chinese lantern pavilion is one of the largest at the Expo. However, the indoor exhibition is slightly embarrassed.

The main "star" is a multifunctional car that could serve as a submarine or a helicopter, according to the Chinese automaker SAIC Motor. Children's drawings of robots hang on the walls. However unlike in the other pavilions, the Chinese exhibits are behind tape, so one cannot touch them.

Chinese language lessons.

Chinese language classes are also held here. It is not easy to repeat Chinese sentences flawlessly, especially when the pronunciation is corrected without any compromise by a virtual teacher.

Near the Chinese pavilion there are 38 white cones resembling wind towers typical of Arab architecture. However, this is not the pavilion of an Arab country but of Austria. "The cones of different heights allow a constant air flow and thus a temperature balance. We don't need any air conditioning, even if it's 38 degrees outside," explains tour guide Anna-Lena about the architecture of the pavilion.

The interior walls of the pavilion are decorated with cave paintings. However, the carved pictogram of the nose, representing one of the five human senses, cannot be overlooked. "I can smell the wood," confirms a visitor who has just entered one of the cones.

A hand with a heart in another room represents touch. Here one can use the frequency of one's own heartbeat to vibrate an ECG-like curve. Then comes sight, hearing and taste. Austria wants to show that the human senses are interconnected in the present as well as in the future world.

In the blue "mobility" area you will find, for example, the Russia pavilion. "The five-minute projection takes you to the past and to the near future," the introduction says. A multimedia show and a giant kinetic brain sculpture are the focal points of the exhibition. The huge network of nerve cells and their connections resembles a modern communication network.

A little further on, the curved lines that dominate the architectural design of the Peruvian pavilion catch the eye. They are meant to evoke the path that Peru has travelled during its existence.

A Peruvian fusion of tradition and modern technology.

"Some details, such as the facade of our pavilion, highlight the Peruvians' long association with weaving," explains guide Cesar Vasquez. The three-story pavilion is a living representation of Peru with all the beauty of flora and fauna that the South American country has to offer.

But it's not just countries that are represented at the World Expo. Partners such as Canon, L'Oréal, Mastercard and Emirates also have pavilions. The airline, for example, is showing its ideas about the future of flying. "Fifty years from now, we could be flying a plane without a pilot," says flight attendant Ilona while putting on VR glasses for one of the visitors. All for 95 dirhams, or 570 crowns, admission.

To nejlepší z Expa: singapurská džungle i český stroj na vodu - ekonomika.iDNES.cz, Veronika Bělohlávková

Source: 
ekonomika.iDNES.cz