Two neighboring Gulf states are taking center stage at the newly opened Expo 2020 Dubai thanks to a pair of pavilions from Santiago Calatrava. 

The Spanish architect, who used to have an office in Doha, currently operates out of Dubai and said he was “thrilled” by the honor of being asked to design structures for the nations that he has come to view as a second home.

Inspired by the crossed swords image embedded in the Qatari coat of arms, Calatrava’s curvilinear contribution uses the metaphor of a dhow to convey the movement and progress of a country eager to showcase its liberalized outlook to the world.

The 960-square-meter (10,333-square-foot) structure plays host to immersive exhibitions that highlight the country’s history and ambitious 21st-century development goals. 

Calatrava’s design for the UAE pavilion features a similar symbolism of a falcon mid-flight formed by a roof made of 28 mechanically operated wings that can be opened to infuse air and light into the structure’s oculus-framed central auditorium.

Situated at the center of Expo’s vast site, the pavilion also hinges on the host country’s national origin myths as guiding metaphors for exhibits that likewise seek to showcase the UAE’s vision of the future.

The structural symbolism of the pavilion is added to by 5,600 surrounding plants and trees, of which more than half are considered to be of cultural importance to the hard-forged nation. The two elements combine to form a perfect metaphor that UAE Minister of State Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said can be easily applied to the Expo’s overarching theme of connectivity between cultures. 

“[Calatrava’s] design of the UAE Pavilion captures the story we want to tell the world about our nation,” Al Jaber said in a statement. “Our late founding father used falconry expeditions to forge connections between tribes and to create a distinct national identity which ultimately led to the founding of the United Arab Emirates. Now, the falcon design will symbolize how we are connecting the UAE to the minds of the world and how as a global community we can soar to new heights through partnership and cooperation.”

Both pavilions will be operational until the close of the Expo on March 31st. A gallery with additional project images can be seen below.