With the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai, visitors are set for a breathtaking experience at the Mobility Pavilion (Alif), where massive sculptures resemble living images, alongside the world's largest elevator that can accommodate over 160 people, in addition to highlights from the UAE National Space Program. The pavilion takes its visitors on a journey through time and space, beginning 4500 years ago in the archaeological area of Saruq Al Hadid, where the ancient ring that inspired the logo of Expo 2020 Dubai was discovered.
This experience invites pavilion visitors to explore a virtual futuristic city, where they can get a glimpse of the future of mobility. The pavilion also showcases the vital role of the UAE and the Arab world in advancing human progress, and in a historical paradox, the world's largest elevator transports visitors to the House of Wisdom in 9th-century Baghdad, before learning about the giants of mobility, commemorated with nine-meter-high sculptures. These sculptures represent figures from the golden age of Arab civilization, honoring their contributions to global mobility over the centuries, including the navigator Ibn Majid and the famous traveler Ibn Battuta.
A fundamental aspect of the mobility story is the role that Dubai and the UAE have long played in connecting people on a global scale. Visitors will get a glimpse of the tremendous advancements the UAE has made over the past fifty years in mobility-related fields. Among these areas are aviation, logistics, and smart cities, as well as the expansion into space sciences through the UAE National Space Program and the Emirates Mars Mission "Hope Probe."
Visitors can also enjoy exhibits featuring the latest transport technologies, as well as watch shows and attend events and seminars related to mobility in the pavilion's plaza. The pavilion was designed by Foster + Partners, a firm specializing in design and architecture. The design, shaped by curved ribs, aims to evoke movement. The outer layer of the building's structure, made of stainless steel, draws inspiration from chrome bumpers and airplane wings, reflecting motion from the surrounding areas.
