The UK Pavilion's cone shape is made of several slats that will project a 'collective message'. Photo: Alin Constantin
The UK Pavilion's cone shape is made of several slats that will project a 'collective message'. Photo: Alin Constantin
The UK Pavilion's cone shape is made of several slats that will project a 'collective message'. Photo: Alin Constantin
The UK Pavilion's cone shape is made of several slats that will project a 'collective message'. Photo: Alin Constantin

How Stephen Hawking inspired the UK Pavilion’s poetic presentation at Expo 2020


Alexandra Chaves
  • English
  • Arabic

As Expo 2020 Dubai begins, the UK Pavilion will beam a message to the world, starting with one word – dignity.

Envisioned by artist and designer Es Devlin, the 21-metre-high structure acts as a poem pavilion. Its cone shape is made of several slats where, on each end, algorithmically generated words will appear throughout the event, creating a “collective message” for all.

Follow the latest updates on Expo 2020 Dubai here.

The first word, dignity, was entered into the AI algorithm by Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation and director general of Expo 2020 Dubai. The technology will then use the word as a starting point to generate couplets that will be projected on to the pavilion for visitors to read.

Al Hashimy said she hoped the “AI-powered creative journey” would serve as a “unifying force” during Expo 2020 and after the event.

The pavilion serves as an experimental look at the possibilities of AI. Photo: Alin Constantin
The pavilion serves as an experimental look at the possibilities of AI. Photo: Alin Constantin

With its fusion of poetry and technology, the presentation follows the UK Pavilion’s theme, "Innovating for a Shared Future." It is also an experimental look at the possibilities of AI, of whether or not it can compose and wield verse to express human emotion.

The concept of a universal message was inspired by Stephen Hawking, the theoretical physicist whose final projects included the pursuit of a “breakthrough message” from the world that could be sent to space in an effort to find or communicate with extraterrestrial intelligence. Hawking launched the Breakthrough Initiatives, funded by Russian tycoon Yuri Milner and his wife Julia, in 2015.

A rendering of the UK Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai site. Photo: Department for International Trade
A rendering of the UK Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai site. Photo: Department for International Trade

That year, a joint letter from the Breakthrough programme stated: “There has never been a better moment for a large-scale international effort to find life in the Universe. As a civilisation, we owe it to ourselves to commit time, resources and passion to this quest.”

In a interview with Dezeen in 2018, when the concept of the UK Pavilion was first launched, Devlin said: “Poetry brings order to language, and machine-learning is a way to weave our voices together without prejudice while following the rhythms of centuries of poetic thought in a range of diverse cultures.”

She also talked about how the project could help to address divisive rhetoric in parts of the world. “The public debate around national identity is currently tending perilously towards the divisive and prosaic. I hope that the many millions who attend Expo 2020 and visit the UK Pavilion will feel a sense of the possibilities of the collective poetic,” she said.

Throughout the event, which runs until March, the UK Pavilion will also stage talks with various thinkers, offer British food and drink, and stage artist performances and interactive experiences for families.

More information is at expo2020dubai.com

See more of Es Devlin's previous projects in the gallery below:

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Teams

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Bengal Lions Leading player: Sarfraz Ahmed; Top picks: Sunil Narine, Mustafizur Rahman; UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Rameez Shahzad

Kerala Kings Leading player: Eoin Morgan; Top picks: Kieron Pollard, Sohail Tanvir; UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Imran Haider

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Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')

Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)

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Super heavyweight 94 kg: Adnan Mohammad (IRN) beat Mohammed Ajaraam (MAR), Split points decision

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Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Taha Marrouni (MAR) beat Mahmood Amin (EGY), Unanimous points decision

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Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 04:18:18

Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:02

Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:04

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5 Rick Zabel (GER) Israel Start-Up Nation

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2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:12

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5 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1 win, 230 points

Updated: October 03, 2021, 10:38 AM`