The next World Exhibition will be devoted to the topic "Energy of the Future", in particular, alternative energy sources and new modes of transport, and the complex of its buildings with a total area of 174 hectares will provide itself with energy - primarily through solar panels, as well as through passive energy-saving strategies (use of natural ventilation, sun protection, etc.).
A spherical pavilion of Kazakhstan will be located in the center of the complex, which should become a new symbol of Astana. Themed, corporate and national pavilions, hotels, shops, restaurants, areas for art exhibitions and performances will be built around. An “indoor city” of office, residential and retail space is also planned. All this will be implemented by 2017, and then, in order to complete the creation of a real "community of the Third Industrial Revolution", the exhibition pavilions will be transformed into an international office and science park, and residential buildings for 700 apartments, hotels, offices, farmers markets, public and educational facilities.
Recall that the winners of the competition Adrian Smith (the author of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai) and Gordon Gill also participate in the Masdar project in Abu Dhabi, therefore they have experience in developing large-scale eco-plans.
About 50 architectural workshops submitted their works for the competition announced in February 2013. Among them were the bureaus of Zaha Hadid, Moshe Safdi, Massimiliano Fuksas, Arata Isozaki, Stefano Boeri, Manfredi Nicoletti, as well as Coop Himmelb (l) au, UNStudio, Snøhetta, Mecanoo, J. Mayer H. Architects, gmp, Studio Pay- Zhu”and Slab Architecture, British Serie Architects, Gansam Architects & Partners from South Korea, Kokkugia (UK - Australia).
