Architecture

A Spirited Journey Through Luxembourg

August 18, 2022

Seeking to translate Luxembourg’s values into physical form, Metaform Architects successfully captures the spirit of the country with an outstanding design at the Expo 2020 Dubai. The multicultural city of Luxembourg straddles a line between tradition and modernity. At the Expo 2020 Dubai, the team at Metaform Architects were tasked to design the Luxembourg Pavilion in a way that can convey the country’s storied past, present and future. The team also had the challenge of presenting Luxembourg’s values as a country; small but ambitious, intriguing yet reassuring, and above all generous and open. With this in mind, the team employed the use of the looping Mobius Strip; a single surface geometric shape that is twisted with neither beginning nor end. The inspiration and idea for this design is to symbolize infinity together with, as the team notes, ‘circular economy and diversity united as one.’

Understanding the need to merge user experience, scenography and architecture, the Metaform team had a mission to merge people with the exhibition in a didactic, interactive, and intuitive way. The use of different projections and animations which displayed the country and its people helped to collectively create a continuous flux of images from start to finish for a multilayered experience that alternately uses the floor, wall and ceiling as a canvas. The pavilion is organized through three different floors. The ground floor accommodates a storage area that is accessible from the back, as well as restrooms, a VIP suite, and an administration unit with visibility over the central area. There is also a restaurant with an open kitchen, and a gift shop oriented towards the front area.

The first floor, accessible directly from the main ramp, is a multi-functional space. In order to accommodate concerts, receptions, and conferences, the side door remains closed, while the ramp guides visitors along without causing disruptions. When hosting a temporary exhibition, the door serves as a barrier, with the indoor space becoming an intuitive part of the flow. chatter / projects 57 chatter / projects 58 The second floor is the highest point of the structure and is dedicated to the space-themed exhibition. A quick slide down through the picturesque green patio concludes the journey in a way that is fun and playful.

One of the challenges for the team was to optimize the flow for the exhibition visitors. To achieve this, the pavilion was designed to be set back from the street, and accessed by a long curving ramp. This created space and distance between the main walking street and the pavilion, offering a clear perception of the whole area.

Given that the visitor experience begins in the waiting line, Metaform designed a ramp as a welcoming red carpet, inviting people to discover the building, and guiding them along a continuous path that blurs the limits between the exterior and interior.

The journey from the bottom to the top is continuous, but constantly changing. While moving between the inner and outer protective skins, the feeling of being in and out at the same time prevails. The proportion of the space constantly changes, giving a nod to the similar perceptual changes of Luxembourg City due to its very particular and unique landscape. A variety of parallel visual connections are created on different levels, and through different stages. Ambiances and moods shift instantaneously, sparking curiosity to learn more about the country.

About Metaform Architects

Founded in 2003, today Metaform Architects is managed by Shahram Agaajani, Thierry Cruchten, and G.G Kirchner. Their complementary artistic minds provide the framework for the life and projects of the firm. The firm’s key achievements, including the creation of the Luxembourg pavilion at EXPO2020 in Dubai, and Luxembourg’s Velodrome, bear witness to the firm’s know-how and expertise. Metaform Architects is composed of a multidisciplinary team of over 40 collaborators. Their creative and daring approach introduces a distinct signature style to each project. The firm is active both nationally and internationally, with offices located in the hearts of both Luxembourg and Dubai.

For more information please visit www.metaform.lu