All images: uaeatexpo, uaepavilionexpo.com

 

Sand as an Experience Design Element to Stun You!

I missed the party. Did you make it? I didn’t even realize how desperately I wanted to be at the party until it was over. How about you? Is there a word for FOMO in retrospect? 

Imagine walking into a dim-light room suddenly to be in a sand-filled desert – -that’s what meets visitors at the UAEs Pavillion during the World Expo that just closed in Dubai. 

If rumors are correct, the Pavillion may re-open as a permanent installation. Let’s cross our fingers!

The exterior architecture is impressive in many ways. But, to get our hearts pounding, there’s a large room with actual sand and sand dunes to walk in between.  Projections on the dunes tell inspiring stories and display the history of the UAE. 

Projections on the dunes tell inspiring stories and display the history of the UAE. 

Visitors can touch the sand and even get to fill bottles to bring as souvenirs. Do I sound a bit envious? Well, I am. 

Another room show sands from the seven emirates, all in different shades.

Sand continues to be a design element. Glass cubes filled with sand reflect the Emirati people mixed with the country’s expats from over 200 countries and their combined knowledge, achievements, and strive forward. 

The United Arab Emirates Pavillion, in the shape of a falcon, a cultural symbol of the country, is designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. It features 28 wings that can open and has built-in solar panels. It’s impressive.

What do you think – is it the inside that counts? 


Desert of Dreams: A room with sands from the UAE desert

Sign up to the SAND FLOW list for news, wear and share ideas, and ways sand connects you.

Related Posts

world map showing political borders

How to Wear the World: (It’s More Literal Than You Think)

People have different ways of wearing the world. For some, it’s a map on a t-shirt, a bracelet from their travels, or a piece of jewelry that captures the essence of a place

But what does it really mean to “wear the world”? People have different ways of wearing the world. For some, it’s a map on a t-shirt, a bracelet from their travels, or a piece of jewelry that captures the essence of a placeIt’s about feeling tied to the stories and memories that make up our lives. Whether it’s the beauty of a distant beach or the grit of a desert, the places we connect with shape who we are.

What if you could literally wear the world, piece by piece? Enter sand.

Egypt sand close up

Microscopic Wonders: Nature’s Hidden Jewelry in Sand

You wear jewelry to shine, to say something about who you are. It’s your story, worn on your body.

Ever looked at sand through a microscope? I did, and it blew my mind. What looks like plain grains on a beach or by the side of the road transform into nature’s masterpieces under magnification. Not one the other alike.

$99,900 for a jar of sand?!

Retirement Sand vs Sand from Every Nation Step right up, folks, the ‘Retirement Sand’ bidding war is heating up on eBay!  One glass jar of