Visitors entered the pavilion and the first space they encountered was lined in its entirety with Floc 3D panels. These were made of New Zealand grown, sustainable strong-wool. The bespoke design and development of these panels was a collaboration between Haumi and Workshop e and tied in with the Pavilion theme, Care for People and Place. The adaptation of Toi Whakairo into a pressed wool form is a beautiful juxtaposition of hard and soft materials.

“The rauponga pattern broadly represents the silver fern or ponga fronds. The pattern is used in Māori wood carving to represent the ribs of an ancestor and gives life and animation to the space – compositionally and conceptually. It reminds us of our connection to and ‘as’ nature. Rauponga are often used by carvers to adorn the outside of waka taonga, the organising idea for the pavilion, notionally protecting the contents it holds.” Karl Johnstone, Dubai 2020 Creative Director, Haumi.

Amongst the panels, visitors were able to take a moment to reset from the heat, noise, and bustle outside of the Pavilion and enjoy the cool air and muted sounds before continuing into the space.

(Unfortunately, this specific design is not available for reproduction as the IP is protected.)