COP28 UAE Pavilion Cultural Scenic Fabrication at Expo City Dubai

Developing a Cultural Environment for the UAE Pavilion

From 30 November to 12 December 2023, the UAE Pavilion at Expo City Dubai presented an immersive cultural experience as part of COP28. The installation connected Emirati heritage, traditional craftsmanship and cultural knowledge with the wider sustainability themes of the international climate conference. Evolution Scenic was appointed by the National Projects Office to develop a client-supplied concept into a complete temporary scenic environment.

The confirmed scope included design development, scenic fabrication, printed graphics, ambient lighting and on-site installation. Rather than producing conventional enclosed exhibition stands, Evolution Scenic created an open system of timber display frames, shelves, plinths, demonstration tables, interpretive panels and scenic backdrops. Individual settings supported date-palm weaving, traditional gahwa preparation, Emirati medicine displays, marine crafts, guided storytelling and live Ayallah performances. The complete scenic package was developed as a coordinated visual and construction system that integrated with the existing UAE Pavilion architecture.

Translating the Client Concept into Buildable Scenery

The client-supplied concept established the cultural content and the intended relationship between heritage, natural materials and sustainability. Evolution Scenic developed this creative direction into scenic structures that could be manufactured efficiently, transported to Expo City Dubai and assembled within the pavilion. Each cultural subject required a different type of physical setting.

Craft demonstrations needed open working areas and practical surfaces. Interpretive displays required graphic supports, shelves and plinths. Marine heritage objects needed space for larger, irregularly shaped materials. The Ayallah performance environment needed to remain open while still being visually connected to the surrounding installation. The solution was to develop a common modular construction language that could be adapted across the different settings.

Repeated timber posts, rails, shelves and graphic-panel supports created visual continuity throughout the pavilion. The dimensions and internal arrangements of the modules could then be adjusted according to the objects, demonstrations or interpretation required in each area. This allowed the individual cultural environments to remain distinct without appearing disconnected.

Creating a Modular Scenic Display System

The principal scenic system consisted of freestanding timber-framed display structures. These frames provided the architectural foundation for the installation. They supported printed graphics, shelving, archive imagery, craft objects and cultural materials while maintaining open sightlines through the pavilion. The scenic structures were manufactured as workshop-built sections and assembled on site.

This modular approach allowed the principal components to be fabricated and finished under controlled workshop conditions before delivery. It also reduced the amount of cutting, coating and intensive construction required within the pavilion. Individual modules could be adapted to perform several functions. Some incorporated full-height bilingual interpretation panels. Others included open shelves for baskets, tools or traditional objects. Certain modules acted as scenic backdrops, while additional units framed live demonstration areas.

The modular system also allowed the structures to remain temporary and reusable. They could be assembled around the pavilion’s existing architecture without becoming permanent interventions within the building. Accurate workshop production was important because repeated frames positioned alongside one another needed to maintain consistent heights, margins, shelf positions and finish quality.

Timber Fabrication, Scenic Joinery and Finishes

The confirmed construction materials included solid timber, plywood and MDF. Solid timber formed the principal visible framework. It was used for the posts, rails, open shelving and other exposed structural elements that established the installation’s natural material character. Plywood and MDF were used for shelves, demonstration tables, display plinths, scenic panels and enclosed joinery components.

These sheet materials allowed the workshop team to produce controlled shapes, consistent surfaces and accurate interfaces between the different scenic elements. The finish palette included laminate, timber stain, clear protective coatings and painted finishes. Stained and clear-coated timber retained the visible grain of the frames and shelves. This created a direct visual connection with the palm leaves, woven baskets, mats, timber objects and other natural cultural materials displayed throughout the installation.

Painted and laminated finishes were used where individual components required a more uniform appearance or greater visual separation from the exposed timber framework. The scenic finishes remained deliberately restrained. Their purpose was to organise and support the heritage content rather than compete with it. The supplied information does not confirm the timber species, framing dimensions, sheet thicknesses or individual paint and laminate references.

Fabricating the Traditional Craft Environments

Evolution Scenic created dedicated scenic settings for live artisan demonstrations and cultural displays, with each area developed around the practical requirements of the craft being presented. The environments provided clear working zones for the artisans while giving visitors an organised view of the associated tools, materials and finished objects. Open structures, accessible display surfaces and simple architectural framing were used instead of enclosed exhibition cases. This approach kept the demonstrations visually connected to the wider pavilion while allowing the cultural content to remain the main focus.

Date-Palm Weaving

The date-palm weaving environment used open timber frames, shelving and interpretation panels to support the demonstration of traditional palm-based craft techniques. The scenic structures established the perimeter of the display without enclosing the working area, maintaining clear sightlines between the artisan and visitors. Shelves and open bays provided space for woven baskets, mats and smaller objects, while larger materials could be arranged at floor level. This open arrangement allowed the display to accommodate the varied scale and irregular forms associated with the craft.

Gahwa Preparation

A custom demonstration setting was fabricated for traditional Emirati gahwa preparation using a timber working table, supporting shelves and framed interpretive graphics. The scenic joinery provided organised surfaces for coffee pots, cups, baskets and preparation materials while keeping the working area open and accessible. Supporting shelving helped separate displayed objects from the principal preparation surface without visually disconnecting them from the demonstration. The timber construction also maintained continuity with the surrounding craft environments and the wider pavilion design.

Traditional Medicine

The traditional medicine area used a combination of freestanding scenic plinths, low display blocks and graphic panels to create an open presentation environment. Objects and natural materials could be positioned at different heights, introducing variation while keeping individual items clearly visible. The simple geometry of the scenic elements allowed the texture, colour and natural character of the displayed materials to remain prominent. Specialist artisans worked with Evolution Scenic across these cultural environments to ensure the fabricated structures responded to the practical requirements of the demonstrations and displayed materials.

Marine Heritage and Ayallah Performance Settings

The marine craft display required a different relationship between scenic structure and cultural content. Timber-framed interpretation panels provided vertical surfaces for historical imagery and written information, while open areas at floor level accommodated nets, woven fish traps, model craft and larger maritime objects. The display frames organised the content without forcing irregular heritage materials into conventional cabinets or uniform shelving. This approach allowed the marine objects to retain their natural shapes and scale while still forming part of a controlled scenic composition.

Evolution Scenic also created a custom-built environment for live Ayallah performances. Unlike the object-based display areas, the performance setting needed to maintain an open central zone. Scenic structures were therefore positioned to define the perimeter and visual identity of the area without obstructing the performers. The same timber construction, printed graphics and restrained finishes connected the Ayallah environment with the wider cultural installation. This demonstrated the flexibility of the modular scenic system. It could support shelving and objects in one area, practical demonstration tables in another and an open performance environment elsewhere.

Integrating Printed Graphics and Guided Storytelling

Evolution Scenic produced and installed the printed graphic elements used throughout the cultural route. The interpretation panels were integrated directly into the scenic structures rather than added as separate temporary signs after fabrication. Graphic dimensions, panel openings and fixing positions were coordinated with the timber frames during workshop production. This ensured that the completed panels fitted accurately between the structural rails and maintained consistent margins across the installation. The graphic system combined bilingual written interpretation, archive photography, captions and supporting imagery.

Some scenic modules carried large-format panels, while others combined graphics with shelves and displayed cultural objects. Freestanding backdrops and interpretation structures also supported guided storytelling tours through the pavilion. Because the graphics and scenic frames were developed together, the installation maintained a consistent relationship between written information, physical objects and architectural structure. The result was a guided cultural environment rather than a series of unrelated signs and display units.

Ambient Lighting and Scenic Integration

Evolution Scenic supplied the ambient lighting associated with the scenic installation. The pavilion environment changed considerably between daylight and evening conditions. The display structures, graphics and cultural materials therefore needed to remain visually legible throughout the operating period. The lighting treatment was developed to support the timber frames, shelves, graphic panels and displayed objects without overpowering the cultural content.

Open-frame construction required careful integration. Fixtures, electrical connections and cable routes needed to remain visually controlled so that the clean timber structures were not interrupted by unnecessary technical clutter. The ambient lighting enhanced the visible grain of the timber and helped define the depth of the shelving, plinths and interpretation panels after dark. It also allowed the individual cultural settings to remain connected as one complete scenic environment during evening operation.

Sustainable Construction and One-Week Delivery

Sustainability was incorporated into both the material selection and the construction methodology. The scenic package used reusable structures, recycled materials, responsibly sourced timber and low-VOC finishes. The modular frames, shelves, panels and plinths were designed as temporary scenic components rather than permanent architectural additions. Workshop-built construction supported more controlled material use and reduced the amount of on-site fabrication required within the pavilion.

The reusable approach also allowed the principal structures to be disassembled after the project rather than being fixed permanently into the existing environment. The confirmed combined fabrication and on-site installation programme was one week. This compressed delivery period required close coordination between workshop manufacturing, finishing, graphic production, lighting integration, transportation and site assembly.

The frames and joinery needed to arrive on site in a condition that allowed efficient installation. Accurate component sizing and clearly planned connection points reduced the need for extensive adjustment within the pavilion. Once the principal structures were assembled, Evolution Scenic coordinated the placement of graphics, display objects, craft materials and cultural dressing with the specialist artisans.

Delivering an Integrated Cultural Scenic Installation

The completed UAE Pavilion environment brought scenic fabrication, traditional craftsmanship, interpretation and lighting together within one coordinated temporary installation. Open timber frames maintained sightlines through the pavilion and allowed the existing architecture to remain part of the visitor experience.

Custom shelves and plinths organised heritage objects without enclosing them. Demonstration tables created functional working surfaces for live cultural activity. Integrated graphics provided the written and visual interpretation required for guided storytelling. The modular construction language connected date-palm weaving, gahwa preparation, traditional medicine, marine crafts and Ayallah performances while allowing each area to retain its individual purpose.

The project also demonstrated how temporary scenic fabrication can support authentic cultural activity rather than functioning only as decorative theming. Evolution Scenic provided the manufactured scenic framework, custom joinery, graphics, lighting and installation. Specialist artisans contributed the cultural knowledge, traditional practices and objects associated with the individual demonstrations.

Reusable structures, recycled materials, responsibly sourced timber and low-VOC finishes reinforced the sustainability objectives of the pavilion. Delivered within a combined one-week fabrication and installation programme, the project demonstrated the importance of modular scenic engineering, controlled workshop production and coordinated site assembly. The finished environment provided the UAE Pavilion with a coherent physical setting in which Emirati heritage could be demonstrated, interpreted and experienced through materials, craftsmanship, objects and live performance.