Raid Sabba is co-founder of curiocation studio (Switzerland), which develops exhibition content, exhibition project management, interpretive planning and design around the world.
Archi.ru:
How did your work in Kazakhstan differ from projects in Europe?
Raid Sabba:
- Of course, Kazakhstan has a different working method, even compared to Saudi Arabia, where I had a previous project, and even more so with Europe. It is always a challenge to find an approach to a new culture, mentality. This provides a valuable experience. It is also a matter of language: I know four languages, each new language I learn allows me to get closer to people, culture, history …
I remember how the architectural project of the Expo complex in Astana was presented to the public in 2013: it made a great impression with its spectacular form, but how convenient was it to hold an exhibition in such a building - I mean the sphere of the Nur-Alem pavilion?
- I was invited to participate in the middle of 2015, when the pavilion project was almost completely developed in terms of both architecture and interior design. It was not an easy task - how to fit the exhibition into an almost ready-made environment. Ideally, it is certainly better to start with the content, with the question "What do you want to tell the audience?" And so you create a platform for the work of all other participants in the process, for an architectural project, interior design, etc.
How did you work on the exhibition project? What were the key themes in this work?
- I consulted with leading experts in the fields of science covered by the exhibition. At the same time, during the work of the Expo, the number of visitors could reach 20-30 thousand people per hour, so it was impossible to delve too deeply into the content. A separate topic was that after the end of the Expo, "Nur-Alem" will continue to work as a science museum, where the public will have all the opportunities for a detailed examination. Therefore, it was necessary to find a balance between immersion in the subject and an overview of all the plots.
At first, it was about the four and a half hours required to inspect the pavilion, but in the Expo format this would have been impossible, especially since after 45-60 minutes even at a lecture or a round table, the audience begins to get tired, and the concentration of attention falls. Therefore, we have tried to make the inspection possible in this shorter period of time.
How is the exhibition organized?
- The visitor enters the first floor, where the national pavilion of Kazakhstan is located, and then rises by elevator to the very top, to the eighth level of the sphere to "Astana of the Future", from where he descends, from floor to floor, examining one exposition after another. Each tier is dedicated to one of the renewable energy sources - sun, water, wind, biomass, etc. Visitors will learn the answers to basic questions: what is energy, what is solar energy? What technologies are being used today to convert solar energy into electricity, for example? The most important thing was to show the potential of renewable energy sources. However, I repeat, the very essence of the Expo did not allow us to delve into these issues, into the subtle political or scientific aspects of the topic of energy.
We wanted the visitors to understand what problems in this area are now facing humanity, to think - what will the future be for our children, for the next generations? What needs to be done so that we do not leave them a legacy of even more environmental problems.
But people do not like to change their habits, how can you convince them to switch to "clean" energy, if it is more difficult than still using oil and gas?
- I think that it is impossible to leave the consumer with this question alone. For example, Germany has introduced tax breaks for those who have installed solar panels on the roof of their homes and use the electricity they generate. That is, people need to be motivated. At the same time, it is very important to remain realistic, not to name unfeasible dates for a complete transition to renewable energy sources, such as 2050.
