When I first heard that the Riyadh 2030 Expo had received official approval from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), I felt a rush of excitement and anticipation. As an architect, I understand that World Expos are far more than just grand showcases of national pride and culture—they’re testing grounds for the future of urban planning and architectural innovation. Imagine over 40 million visitors descending on Riyadh, a city undergoing rapid transformation, to explore a sprawling 2 million-square-meter purpose-built site offering an unprecedented immersive and intelligent experience.
The scale and ambition of this site are staggering. It’s designed not just for a temporary event but to serve as a lasting urban and cultural legacy. Climate-responsive architecture built to green building standards, powered by artificial intelligence and sustainable energy systems, promises to address Riyadh’s harsh desert climate while minimizing environmental impact. Picture buildings that harness natural ventilation, shading systems, and green roofs to provide comfort amid the desert heat—this isn’t just a technical challenge, it’s a design imperative.
The integration of smart infrastructure breathes life into the architecture. Dynamic indoor environments that adjust based on occupancy and climate, intelligent wayfinding guiding visitors seamlessly through vast exhibition spaces, and interactive digital installations turn static buildings into responsive, engaging environments. As a designer, witnessing technology and architecture merge so harmoniously to serve people is truly exhilarating.
Transportation planning is another highlight. The venue will connect directly with Riyadh’s metro system and feature dedicated shuttle services, ensuring smooth mobility for tens of millions of visitors. Past mega-events have shown how poor transit planning can quickly become a visitor’s nightmare—here, Riyadh aims to make “getting there” part of the overall experience, not an obstacle.
What excites me most is the vision for the site’s legacy: after the Expo, the grounds will transform into “Earth Village,” a permanent hub for innovation, knowledge exchange, and cultural engagement. Avoiding the “white elephant” syndrome of abandoned event sites is a global challenge, and Riyadh’s plan offers a thoughtful, sustainable solution that will keep the space alive and vibrant long after the crowds have gone.
Cultural fusion lies at the heart of the Expo’s mission. Designers will blend traditional Arabian architectural motifs with contemporary innovations, allowing visitors to experience a dialogue between millennia-old heritage and future technology. This isn’t just an aesthetic statement—it reflects the Expo’s role as a global platform for multicultural exchange and inclusion.
From a broader perspective, the Riyadh 2030 Expo forms a critical part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a bold agenda for modernization, openness, and sustainability. As architects and urban planners, we see more than buildings—we see a nation reshaping its social fabric, lifestyle, and international identity through built form.
Looking back, every Expo has pushed the boundaries of architectural language and design thinking. The upcoming 2025 Osaka Expo, with its masterplan by Sou Fujimoto and pavilions designed by world-class firms like LAVA Architects, Kengo Kuma & Associates, and Foster + Partners, illustrates this perfectly. Riyadh’s Expo is poised to continue—and elevate—this tradition, becoming a dazzling jewel of architectural and cultural convergence in the Middle East.
Looking forward, standing amid Riyadh’s vibrant and rapidly evolving urban core, I am confident that the 2030 Expo will be far more than a world exhibition. It will be a celebration of cities, architecture, and technology coming together to envision a smarter, more inclusive, and sustainable future. Riyadh 2030 is set to become the world’s stage where architecture empowers humanity to live better—today and tomorrow.