PARTISANS, in collaboration with HXouse and Besix, have unveiled their proposal for the Expo 2020 Canada Pavilion, titled “Portal.” The pavilion seeks to create an “alluring architectural invitation to step inside the Canadian identity.” Visitors to the scheme experience the diverse social framework that makes Canada a model for the world, using data collection and AI to reconceive the country’s diverse population as a crystalline AI-generated interactive cloud.
The pavilion is imagined as a porous cloud that shelters exhibition galleries and shaded semi-public spaces. The crystalline dendritic form, generated almost entirely from computation, holds an openness that represents the diversity of Canadian culture. The resulting cloud-like form “describes a land of boundless opportunity, onto which the dreams of its residents are projected real-time digitally.”
The pavilion’s form is also shaped by climate. Aside from the interlocking panels that capture and interact with the changing sunlight, the canopy forms a conduit for natural ventilation. The integration of water features contributes to the creation of a microclimate within the canopy, while evoking regional uses of water for aesthetic and auditory pleasure.
At the core of the scheme, resting above a reflective pong, a sculpture will be positioned designed by a Canadian indigenous artist. Also housed within the cloud are exhibitions, meeting rooms, VIP areas, and admin spaces, all positioned inside simple climate-controlled boxes.
PARTISANS – Design Architects
MET – Public Presentation
Charcoal Blue – Acoustic and Live Performance Consultant
Augmenta – Artificial Intelligence Specialist
HXOUSE – Cultural Advisor
RWDI – Environmental Consultants
Six Construct – Design-Built Construction Manager
Five Continents – Operations and Maintenance
Rice Perry Ellis – Architect of Record (UAE)
Maffeis Engineering – Structural Engineer
