First glimpse of the U.S.A. Pavilion for Expo 2020: “What Moves You? The Spirit of Mobility”

Following a nationwide call for proposals, the selected design for the U.S.A. Expo 2020 Pavilion was revealed during an event in Dubai yesterday, marking the first in a series of unveilings related to the pavilion leading up to the opening of the Expo in October 2020. 

Architect Curtis Fentress — whose practice specializes in designing airports, museums, convention centers, government buildings, and other public architecture typologies — unveiled an architectural model of the U.S.A. Pavilion, which is called “What Moves You? The Spirit of Mobility”, in tandem with the Expo's overall theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”. Detroit-based design firm George P. Johnson Experiential Marketing, who is in charge of exhibition design, led a tour of the experiential features they are currently working on for the pavilion.

Scroll down to check out the initial renderings and a video of the U.S. Pavilion.

“We have designed this building to be circular in form with slants fashioned to project a sensation of movement, making the viewer feel like the building itself is in motion. And then, once you enter the building, it opens up to what the United States stands for: We are an open, accessible country where you can live to create ideas,” Curtis Fentress said in a statement.

“It showcases all the things we are doing in America: developing technology and concepts that are going to move us forward in the future,” Fentress describes. “Designing this pavilion is a tremendous responsibility  — one we take very seriously — as we will be showcasing America and American ideas to over 25 million people expected to visit the Expo.” 

Pavilion USA 2020 also announced its partnership with California-based Virgin Hyperloop One, which will debut their Hyperloop ride experience at the Expo.

The pavilion will be managed by Pavilion USA 2020, a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of State and a private sector consortium of U.S. entities that will be in charge of the funding, designing, construction, operation, and decommission of the pavilion.

Don't forget to check out a video of the project below.