WME Global have been selected as engineering consultants for the Austrian Pavilion at Expo 2020.

The Viennese architecture office Querkraft are responsible for the design of the Pavilion in Dubai. The design combines traditional building materials with modern techniques to present Austria as a centre of innovation. Former Federal Minister Beatrix Karl was appointed honorary commissioner for the world expo and will represent Austria externally. The theme of the Pavilion will centre on questions of how resources can be used more thoughtfully and respectfully in the future.

The exhibition area for the Austrian pavilion will be located between Switzerland and China in the Opportunity district: “unlocking the potential within individuals and communities to shape the future”. In a time where huge amounts of information create misleading answers for complex issues, the Austrian Pavilion will focus on a framework of innovations.

A grid of truncated cones will unfolds to create patterns of light and shadow. The cone forms will be carefully engineered to invite the visitor to rest and contemplate the surrounding exhibition. To finalise project identification, an EU-wide, two-stage realisation competition was announced in which 43 teams from all creative sectors participated. The task encompassed the architecture of the pavilion, the design of the exhibition, as well as the design and integration of the exterior spaces into the exhibition activities. An interdisciplinary jury of experts recommended the project “in dialogue with Austria” under the direction of Querkraft Architekten.

WME is providing Building Services, AV/IT engineering support, including Sustainable Design. WME are also acting as Architects and Engineers of Record.