Dubai Expo 2020: Countries unveil spawling pavilions

A cone-shaped pavilion displays a series of AI-generated poems on the exterior.

These poems were created from words submitted by visitors and then displayed via LEDs on the building's façade.

The futuristic-looking structure is the UK pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai.

Designed for the first time by a female designer, Es Devlin, the UK pavilion aims to draw attention to the importance of artificial intelligence.

The Dubai World Expo has its share of architectural masterpieces.

The Saudi Arabia pavilion, the second largest at the Expo, with a total area of more than 13,000 square meters (140,000 square feet), is one of the most attention-grabbing.

In the form of a block rising out of the ground, part of the facade is covered with mirrors that reflect patterns, lights and colors, attracting viewers.

Inside, several works of art are on display, including a 30-meter-diameter globe with an interactive floor that a collective of Saudi artists worked on.

In the Opportunity District, the Italy Pavilion is covered with 70 kilometers of rope made from two million plastic bottles.

Energy conservation was also a consideration.

The pavilion focuses on reusable materials and was topped with three boat hulls.

Other eye-catching pavilions include the Swiss pavilion, which has a giant mirror on its façade, and the Russian pavilion, which has a dome surrounded by colored tubes.

After eight years of planning and billions of dollars spent, the Middle East's first World Expo opened Oct. 1, with hopes that the months-long extravaganza will draw both visitors and global attention to Dubai after the coronavirus pandemic delayed Expo 2020 by a year.