Architectural Digest
The 8 Most Architecturally Significant Pavilions of Expo 2020
Defined by an expansive 130-meter-wide canopy covered with 1,055 solar panels, which at first sight might look like sleekly designed flying saucers that have just landed on Planet Earth, it hopes to set an example for sustainable design and is net zero for both water and energy. Designed by U.K.-based Grimshaw Architects, the panels on the sand-colored canopy of Terra, a title derived from the Latin word for “earth,” generate four gigawatts of alternative energy per year—enough electricity to charge over 900,000 mobile phones. The panels, which could also be viewed as metaphorical futuristic palm trees, rise up from the desert sands throughout Expo 2020’s extensive area, which cover 438 hectares (1,082 acres).