Dubai Expo 2020: Paul Cocksedge’s Living Watercolor Pavilion

Among the finalists for the Dubai Expo 2020 UK Pavilion competition is Paul Cocksedge Studio’s design. The ‘Living Watercolor Pavilion’ was inspired by the theme of the Expo, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.” The designers incorporated colors from the flags of every nation exhibiting at the event to create a final effect capable of expressing unity, partnership, and possibility.
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As stated by Paul Cocksedge, looking outward for inspiration informed the architecture of the entire pavilion. Being universal, colors are used to question and represent the possibilities that may come when countries are united. Designed in partnership with IDOM and Arup, this idea directed the structure to what it came to be. Also, according to Cocksedge, the design is like a “sculptural watercolor” that plays with the natural environment to connect people. The shifting of the sun and shade transform the pavilion into a three-dimensional chromatic experience. To create this effect, the exterior is overlaid with thousands of translucent glass discs, one on top of the other. On the other hand, the interior is engulfed in color and light by a sculptural centerpiece, located at the heart of the building. Finally, the overlapping effect created by the interior and exterior features give a sense of impossibility to the structure.
The structure is designed to be a ‘living watercolor painting’. So, like anything living, the structure’s appearance changes as the intensity of the surrounding environment changes. Moreover, as colors overlap, new shades are created which emphasizes the design concept. While the Watercolor Pavilion was not the overall winner, it was selected from a list of over a hundred entries to be in the final shortlist. With a design entry from Es Devlin selected eventually as the overall winner, Trade Secretary Dr. Liam Fox MP released the following statement:
“The quality of design proposals we received for the UK Pavilion was a testament to the UK’s world-leading creative talent. This announcement follows a competitive tender process which saw a number of leading designers and firms form consortia to bid for the multi-million-pound contract, and we are grateful for their submissions.”
With every Expo, new ideas and designers take the spotlight. It is always intriguing to see submitted proposals as much as what is finally presented at the expo. The mesmerizing images of the Living Watercolor Pavilion proposal will defiantly be remembered for a long time.
All images courtesy of Paul Cocksedge.

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