Connectivity Through Design Experience

Expo 2020 Dubai's logo features a golden ring, which represents all participating countries and the millions of people attending the event, hopeful to connect with each other and help co-author the planet’s future.

Many of Expo's architecture and experiences were designed to highlight the power of connectivity and foster camaraderie amongst visitors. Together, they explored how connections are shaping the world and the value of the relationships people establish within it.

Al Wasl—which translates to 'connection' in English—Plaza was the centerpiece of the exhibition and the beating heart of the event. The dome was strategically located at the core of the Expo site, where all roads met, to emphasize the creators’ aim of bringing people together.

However, the design inspiration stretched beyond the Al Wasl Plaza—it was applied to most pavilions and immersive experiences across Expo. The use of organic forms, open spaces, diverse color palettes, and 360 or spherical screens in many pavilions invited visitors to experience all they had to offer as a collective instead of as individuals.

The conceptual and applied use of design to deliver a holistic and human-driven experience helped to make Expo an environment conducive to peaceful interaction and collaboration between people from all cultures with one common goal: a better tomorrow.

Implication: Commerce by Design

Expo demonstrated how to use design experience to communicate a message to people from different cultures and backgrounds in an engaging yet subtle way.

Deploying a human-centric design that is both inviting and uncomplicated will lead to better packaging, activations, POS material, and much more. Commerce solutions need to embody the ethos of Expo 2020 Dubai and use design as a vessel to connect with consumers and deliver memorable and immersive experiences that will do more than drive a one-time trial—they will increase LTV altogether.