Received order for membrane screen for the world’s largest “image dome” to decorate the Expo.

Taiyo Kogyo Corporation

(Tokyo Head Office: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Osaka Head Office: Yodogawa-ku, Osaka; President: Hidefumi Araki), a “membrane manufacturer” engaged in large-scale membrane surface structures (tent structures), has received an order for the membrane facade of the Al Wasl Dome, the core facility of the Dubai International Expo 2020, from a local subsidiary. The project is now in the final stages of construction.

The Al Wasl Dome, for which Taiyo Middle East LLC, a local subsidiary of Taiyo Kogyo, received the order for the membrane façade, is located in the center of the Dubai International Expo 2020 site and will cover the Al Wasl Plaza, which connects three areas based on the Expo’s sub-theme of “Opportunity,” “Mobility” and “Sustainability. It is a gigantic steel structure that covers Al Wasl Plaza, which connects the three areas based on the Expo’s sub-themes Opportunity, Mobility, and Sustainability.

In advance of the April 2019 order, MakMax Australia, an Australian subsidiary, assisted with the conceptual design of the membrane facade in the initial stages beginning in late 2017. A full-scale mock-up was also planned in early 2018 to verify design details, mesh membrane materials, and structural constructability. Membrane panels manufactured at Taiyo Kogyo’s Mizuho facility were verified onsite and contributed significantly to the construction planning phase.

After receiving the official order, as many as 631 panels were manufactured at Shanghai Taiyo Kogyo Membrane Co., Ltd. and the Japanese quality control system is supporting this highly challenging project that makes extensive use of curved welding and mixes different sizes of panels and membrane materials. Since the latter half of last year, under the supervision of Taiyo Middle East LLC, work has been underway to attach the membrane facade to the steel frame.

The Al Wasl Dome will be 130 meters in diameter and the steel frame of the dome will reach a height of 67.5 meters, making it the world’s largest 360-degree projection surface when completed. Visitors will be able to enjoy projection mapping from both inside and outside of the dome, and the powerful images are expected to provide visitors with a great sensation.

Taiyo Kogyo has a strong connection with international expositions, and has attracted much interest in the 1970 Japan World Exposition, where it was the first company in the world to install a low-rise giant air membrane structure, the same principle used in the Tokyo Dome, in the U.S. Pavilion. Subsequently, we have continued to play an active role by installing large-scale membrane roofs on the main traffic lines at Expo 2005 Aichi, Expo 2010 Shanghai, and the last Expo in Milan.

With the order for the Dubai International Expo, we have now participated in four consecutive large-scale projects for international expositions, and we intend to accelerate our product development with the upcoming 2025 Osaka International Expo in Kansai in mind.

Founded: 2004
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Venue: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Size: 438 hectares (4th largest in history)
Number of pavilions: 192

Property Name：Al Wasl Dome Dubai Expo
Client: EXPO 2020 Dubai Team
Project management (client’s representative): Ch2m
Contractor (general contractor): Cimolai-Rimond
Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (Chicago, USA)
Number of panels: 631