Expo 2020 Dubai to unveil world-class legacy development

Expo 2020 Dubai’s legacy development, District 2020 - world-class facility which will be offering a new urban experience with its 65,000-sq-m residential space and 135,000-sq-m commercial space, will be unveiled at the Cityscape Global expo. The mammoth development will be home to world-class innovation, educational, cultural and entertainment facilities as well as a conference and exhibition centre. The district will be an integral part of the legacy of Expo 2020 Dubai from the fourth quarter of 2021, and support the acceleration of the emirate’s development, said the organisers of the Expo 2020 Dubai. It will be a long-term economic contributor for the UAE as a home for innovators, original thinkers and pioneers, creating jobs and attracting investment, they stated. The new district will facilitate modern ways of living, blending work and recreation in an ecosystem that fosters closer connections – physically and digitally. Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, Director-General of Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, said: "Back in 2013 when we won the bid to host this great event, we set ourselves two clear objectives in line with our leaders’ vision: to stage a World Expo that would amaze the world and build a lasting legacy with a global destination that offers a new alternative for urban living." “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai) instructed us to build a site for a permanent legacy and therefore we had to think of ways to capitalise on what was being built for Expo as well as for post-Expo," she observed. “We have created District 2020 to achieve that goal. It has been a key part of our planning from the very start, not just for our Legacy team but the entire Expo organisation,” said Al Hashimy. District 2020 has been designed to be environmentally progressive and sustainable, reflecting the changing demands of the modern world. Every building will meet or exceed the rigorous Leed Gold standards in sustainable construction. It will be home to iconic structures such as Al Wasl Plaza, the Sustainability Pavilion, which will live on as a Children and Science Centre, and the falcon-shaped UAE Pavilion. They have been designed by some of the world’s most renowned architects. Marjan Faraidooni, the senior VP of Legacy Impact and Development at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: "District 2020 will continue to carry forward Expo 2020’s mission of connecting people – offering a new urban experience." "It will be at the cutting edge of modern working and living – combining places to work, rest and explore to create an ecosystem that stimulates connections, inspires creation and drives innovation, creating value for all those who come here," stated Faraidooni. “It will also be among the best connected districts in the world: within an hour of the centres of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, next to what will be the world’s largest airport, the Jebel Ali Port, and with world-leading digital infrastructure including 5G,”