TravTalk Middle East Online Magazine
The United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) reveals the pavilion façade design built on the theme of the ‘University of the Future’ (UoF), a new model of education which is focussed on preparing the next generation in solving employability challenges with the Pathfinders Program and the IoF among its central initiatives.
The façade, exterior face of the building, shows a visually distinctive image on the upper panel showcasing three adventurous pathfinders walking in the Arab desert towards the unexplored opportunities, creativity and intellectual education, in a deeper sense, to ‘Discover, Become, and Co-create’, and pointing towards the stars. Together with the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) Expo team, TODO designed the main artwork that expresses the symbolic narratives of Pathfinders Programme of re-imagining the possibilities around humanity’s yet most daring adventure of building and sustaining a human colony on Mars. The red planet, here, metaphorically indicates a new beginning for humanity and a source of new ideas for addressing some of Earth’s most complex challenges. The Arab desert echoes the UAE’s valued local landscape. Eventually, the Pathfinders are inclined to address the unemployment dilemma by pointing to the stars, indicating solving the 100 million stars unemployment challenge in the Arab World and beyond, the UoF’s primary mission of fostering job creators rather than job seekers.
Dr. Nihel Chabrak, Executive Director, UAEU Pavilion at Expo 2020 said, “The Façade is a reflection of the UAEU philosophy and drive, being rooted in the country natural and cultural heritage while aspiring for a better future for humankind. The UAE’s plan to colonise Mars by 2117 is the best vision to instill in youth passion for science, technology, and knowledge. Our pathfinders have already started thinking about the core elements of the ‘city of wisdom’ that will pave the way for a multidimensional effort by the youth to innovate and bring to life this human colony on Mars while re-imagining life on earth.”
The lower panel of the façade adds to the overall design by displaying several portrait photographs of UAE University students imprinted across the building.
Dr. Sahera Bleibleh, Director, UAEU Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai 2020 said, “We are delighted to unveil the façade wrap that is inspired by a combination of UAE nature, culture and UAEU pavilion journey to symbolically resonate the adventurous spirit of pathfinders. The design of the façade wrap captures the quest of pathfinder journey in their futuristic desert towards the aspiration of the glowing sky while seeking a higher goal for themselves and better life opportunities for all.”
The Pavilion Mascot inspired by the theme, University of the Future (UoF), a new model of education centered to prepare the next generation by producing job creators to solve unemployment challenges. A water-like iridescent, Moy is a warm and empathetic who will accompany visitors on their journey inside the pavilion. Moy is named after the Emirati word for water as it draws its purpose from the worth of water in life, to be resourceful, selfless, dynamic and dependable.
Prof. Ghaleb Alhadrami Albreiki, Acting Vice-Chancellor, emphasised, “The character of Moy is our way to represent the forthcoming vision of UAEU and to introduce the future that the university is working towards to the world. It also reflects the direction of the university to be the university-of-choice for undergraduate and graduate studies, research, training, and lifelong learning. Moy’s character will present the changes that the university is working on to develop its innovative educational system, and will summarise it for the visitors of the UAEU pavilion through its journey of progress and sustainable development, with a focus on research, studies, and the developing of its academic programmes that are compatible with the future labour market. It will also present the establishment of a strong workforce in fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”
Dr. Abdulla Al Khatib, Member of the UAEU Expo 2020 team added, “The word ‘MOY’, which actually means ‘wave’ in Emirati dialect and in some other dialects ‘water’ mainly the Saudi-closed region. This is the prime reason of why I suggested the name. It blends well with the current trend of brands having short, funny and strange names. Moy also represents both, wave and water, as they are both shapeless, resilient, strong, flexible, and unbreakable. This fits the meaning of the UoF and what we aim for perfectly”.
Moy is an epitome of the UoF’s vocation to guide and enable pathfinders to expand, extend, enhance, and sustain life. UAEU Pavilion’s mascot, Moy, will be welcoming all the visitors to the enticing experience of the pavilion.
