The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has finally unveiled the design of the Philippine Pavilion for the much-awaited Expo 2020 Dubai.
In a presentation released by DTI to The Filipino Times, the agency revealed that the country’s overarching theme for its pavilion will be “Bangkóta”.
The word is an ancient Tagalog term for “coral reef”.
DTI said the design honors the variety of natural resources that the Philippines has to offer, and owes its overall design to the architectural character from the coral reefs native to the archipelago.
The Philippine pavilion also highlights the progressive development of the nation through the state-of-the-art portals that promise immersive experiences for its visitors.
With an actual size of 1,386 sq.m., the Philippine pavilion will be under the “Sustainability” category of the Dubai Expo 2020, located near the Canada and Portugal pavilions.
The pavilion design is spearheaded by Budji+Royal Architecture+Design with original content created by Marian Roces & Digital Content Creators, who will be responsible for the film and exhibit installations, literature, history, and music.
“The galleries, carrying the main theme of the Bangkota, promises to be a scope to the reality of Filipino culture today: fast-paced and constantly moving, transforming the exhibit into a continuously changing information hub,” the presentation says.
“The idea of the overall space is for an individual to embark on a journey of discovery and let its natural, unstructured shape lead you to stops exhibiting the nature of the Philippines, and introducing precepts like Nature is Peace, Man is Nature, and Variety of the World. This relates to the journey inside the pavilion,” it added.
There will be eight areas in the Philippine Pavilion including the following:
Area 1 – Nature is peace: Experience the tropical forest
Area 2 – Man is Nature: How Philippine history evolved and lived in harmony with nature
Area 3 – Variety of the World: Many cultural traits, one identity, connected all over the world
Area 4 – The making of Bangkóta: Origin stories of the pieces and installations
Area 5 – Go Lokal! Marahuyo: Store selling items made exclusively for Expo 2020
Area 6 – The Ramp: The end of the exhibit; a moment for reflection and enjoyment of the garden on the roof deck
Area 7 – The Plaza: Filipino culture through performance
Area 8 – Artisanal Café: Eat with your hands in a pristine environment of mangrove trees
What to see inside
The visitors will play an active role in the total experience as they creates the narrative sequence by freely navigating the interiors.
The visitors become part of the story, where digital production technology and interactive, contemporary art forms cinematically surround the environment.
For example, Area 1 will bring the guests a sensous experience through the showcase of the diverse ecosystem the Philippines has to offer. The guests will experience tropical forest vibe as they walk though a winding path.
Meanwhile, Area 2 will showcase the history of how nature developed man’s ideas in crafts and culture though the different holographic images and art pieces.
Expo 2020 will open next year, October 20, 2020 and will run till April 10, 2021 for a total of 173 days. Timings run from 10:00 am to 1:00 am on weekdays, and from 10:00 am to 2:00 am during weekends and special days.
Bangkota wa just featured in Gulf News yesterday. I’ve seen other nations pavillion but Bangkota is truly stunning.