BRANDEX 2023 AWARD WINNER: Best Execution Architecture

CLIENT: BelExpo + Régie des Bâtiments

ARCHITECTS: Vincent Callebaut Architectures + assar architects

SCENOGRAPHERS: Facts and Fiction + Envie

CONSTRUCTION GROUP: Besix + Besix 3D

BrandEx Award 2023 - THE GREEN ARCH – Belgian Pavilion at EXPO 2020 Dubai 

Award Winner - Architecture, Best Execution Architecture

Task At Expo 2020, Belgium presents its future vision of a smart and green society. The challenge: Create a sympathetic and surprising image of Belgium and attract attention to Belgian innovations – in a highly competitive environment that is already very futuristic. The Belgian Pavilion – “The Green Arch” – is garden and building at the same time. It presents the emergence of connected green cities and brings Belgian thinkers and entrepreneurs to display their visions for the year 2050. Inside the pavilion, visitors are invited to explore a vision for the future that is sketched in the country’s famous comic style and presents a surprisingly different image of Belgian scientific, industrial, and technological innovations.

Implementation combining intensive greenery and futuristic design in solid wood the pavilion aims to be exemplary in terms of sustainable development. It is an ode to regenerative circular economy, to biobased and geo sourced materials, to the integration of bioclimatic rules and renewable energies, as well as to the preservation of biodiversity and nature. The scenography inside the pavilion uses the stereotypical image of Belgian comics as a door opener to engage with the visitors. Accordingly, famous Belgian comic heroes are the main protagonists of the exhibition. For the first time ever, Lucky Luke, the Smurfs, Suske and Wiske and many others appear together in one show.

With entertaining sketches and playful interactions, they take visitors on an exciting journey to the future. The Pavilion’s highlight is an immersive show that brings the sketches to life into one impressive colourful vision for Smart and Green Belgian 2050.