At Expo 2020 Dubai, Malaysia’s pavilion is devoted to the theme of ‘Energising Sustainability’, and it hopes to advance its national green agenda beyond the country’s borders by securing a zero-carbon presence at the expo 2020.

Hijas, a Kuala Lumpur-based architectural firm that also worked on the design for Malaysia’s Expo Milan 2015 pavilion has developed the design which stretches around 1,234 square meters.

The design of the pavilion takes on the form of a rainforest canopy – made resembling some of the world’s oldest rainforests found in Malaysia, including the prehistoric Taman Negara in Pahang, which is estimated to be more than 130 million years old.

 Mohd Nor Azman Hassan, deputy commissioner general for Malaysia’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai said “We wanted the expo visitors to experience nature. Among the thick foliage and canopy of trees, we are depicting our Malaysian tradition of nipa huts, which are built on stilts and made with lightweight and natural materials. The sustainable architecture looks like it is floating on air. A meandering river will lead into the pavilion.”

The pavilion is all set and ready to boast environment credentials using carbon offset building materials to deliver a zero-carbon construction that requires less energy and will ultimately be dismantled and recycled once the expo is over, producing zero waste altogether.