United Arab Emirates, Dubai : New Zealand’s Expo 2020 Dubai pavilion’s hosting venues - The Cooperative Room, The Courtyard and restaurant, Tiaki – are home to some of the country’s best-loved sustainable brands for lighting, soft furnishings, tableware, and furniture. Curated by pavilion architects Jasmax, each bespoke design object reflects New Zealand’s Expo theme of ‘Care for People and Place’ - the indigenous Māori environmental ethos of kaitiakitanga and the idea there is a deep, inextricable connection and responsibility between people and the environment.

Located in Expo’s Sustainability District, the design story begins at the pavilion’s kinetic façade by Kaynemaile, which moves in time with a low-frequency sound to create a rippling pulse effect. This is a reference to the mauri, or life-force within the pavilion - a Māori worldview that everything has a life principle.

The pavilion’s custom type rauponga-inspired design was developed by Jasmax in partnership with Haumi. The lines, notches, and curves of the design represent the extended fern frond and are often seen depicting the ribs of an ancestor symbolising protection, care and connection to the land. This type design features on the wayfinding throughout the pavilion and on Tiaki’s bespoke chairs by Jasmax in collaboration with Resident and Simon James. The sustainably-sourced solid oak seats are a limited-edition collection designed especially for Expo 2020 Dubai and an homage to the ‘Osaka Expo Chair’ designed by Michael Payne for New Zealand’s Pavilion at Expo 1970 Osaka. Lightweight in both form and visual imprint, the 2020 seat and backrest are defined by a gentle, welcoming curve.

Upon entering Tiaki, the David Trubridge ‘Navicula’ aquamarine pendant light fittings immediately stand out as statement features in the restaurant. The designs are inspired by microscopic diatoms, or algae, which live in water and produce 50 percent of the air we breathe.  David Trubridge is a recognised leader in sustainable design for his high-end lighting that is produced with minimal environmental impact.

Showcasing the country’s innovative, sustainable spirit, the pendant at the restaurant reception is a custom biopolymer made of rare pāua shells, the Māori name given to New Zealand's unique variety of Black Foot Abalone native to its waters. The bioplastic Trubridge light was developed by Scion, a New Zealand Crown research institute that aims to promote and create a circular bioeconomy.

Città, the artisan design team that created Tiaki’s tableware, furniture and lighting pieces strives to create unique pieces that are made ethically, sustainably, and with respect to the provenance of the raw materials. Its comfortable Aiko Sofa and stylish Linear Tables, designed by David Moreland and Nikolai Sorensen, offer a relaxing space within the restaurant’s Courtyard area. And the striking AB Pendant Light, with its simple, organic form, is a collaboration between Città and award-winning New Zealand designer Alex Buckman.

Celebrating clean, simple and functional design are the Tim Webber Designs Nixon barstools and Duffle stools – furniture to be treasured now and forever.

Outside the main dining area, Tiaki’s open courtyard chairs are provided by Noho – meaning ‘to sit, stay, dwell, live’ in te reo Māori. The two styles of chairs - the ‘noho move’ and the ‘lightly chair’ - are made of upcycled plastic waste. Noho partners with eco-innovators like Aquafil, whose ECONYL® regeneration process turns recovered waste materials like fishing nets and end-of-use carpets into regenerated nylon that they use to create furniture.

Abodo eco-timber battens, fins, and panelling bring a soft, warm touch to the eatery’s interiors. Abodo timbers are sustainably harvested from rapidly renewable New Zealand plantations and thermally modified with heat and steam rather than chemical processes, meaning they’re safe for people and the environment.

“The hosting venues’ design not only showcases our ideas and culture but New Zealand’s spirit of ingenuity and creativity. As kaitiaki (guardians), New Zealanders believe we have a responsibility to leave the world in a better place for future generations – and we can see this in the shared sustainability ethos of the design companies specified by Jasmax. These companies are always innovating at every step of the design process to improve outcomes for the environment and for all of us,” said Clayton Kimpton, New Zealand’s Commissioner-General to Expo 2020 Dubai.

“Our vision was to create a welcoming and contemporary space that truly embodies kaitiakitanga – a space that is mutually beneficial to society and the environment. It was a pleasure working alongside like-minded design teams that are not only environmentally conscious but have unparalleled levels of creativity and innovation,” said Sarah Delamore, Design Manager and Project Architect at Jasmax.

Tiaki is open daily from 10:00 am to late at the New Zealand Pavilion. For more information about the New Zealand Pavilion and events at Expo 2020 Dubai, visit www.nzatexpo.govt.nz 

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ABOUT NEW ZEALAND AT EXPO 2020    

New Zealand’s theme for Expo 2020 is Care for People and Place, which is based on the indigenous environmental ethos of kaitiakitanga, the connection and responsibility between people and the natural environment.  

The theme was inspired by the world-first status given to the Whanganui River by legislation that recognised it as a living entity.  Te Awa Tupua is a legal person and has all the rights, powers, duties and liabilities of a legal person.  The story is a universal narrative that represents a paradigm shift from overlooking to valuing our relationship with nature.    

New Zealand architects Jasmax led the global multi-disciplinary design consortium, designed the pavilion and visitor experience concept. Haumi, in partnership with Jasmax, led the cultural design aspects of the building. Development and delivery of the visitor experience is through the collaboration of Haumi, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi and Workshop e. The pavilion’s kinetic façade is designed by Kaynemaile.  

The 2,000 square metre pavilion features a visitor experience, a restaurant showcasing New Zealand food and beverage and hosting facilities and is in Expo 2020’s Sustainability District.    

Creative Parris Goebel will curate New Zealand’s entertainment and cultural programme for Expo 2020.  Parris is a five-time World Hip Hop dance champion.  Her talents span choreography, dance, music, directing and acting.    

Sponsors of New Zealand at Expo 2020 are known as the Care Collective: Fonterra, Comvita, Kaynemaile, Zespri, Mr Apple, Shadowspec, Abodo, Air New Zealand, Caroma, Città, David Trubridge, Gallagher, Method, Methven, Moffat, noho, Raw Coffee, Resident, Rodd & Gunn, Scion, Sistema, Skope, T&R Interior Systems, Tait Communications, Tim Webber Design and Toitū Envirocare. 

 

ABOUT EXPO 2020 DUBAI    

Expo 2020 Dubai is the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa or South Asia region.  191 nations will participate in Expo 2020 with country pavilions that will showcase achievements, creativity, and innovations.     

Connecting Minds, Creating the Future is the overall theme for Expo 2020, with three thematic districts:  Mobility, Opportunity, and Sustainability.     

Expo 2020 was postponed, due to Covid-19, and will now run from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. 

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