Xylopolis – the bonds between primeval nature and modern technology

At Expo 2020 Dubai, from 1 to  24 October, visitors to Poland’s Pavilion will be presented the  Xylopolis exhibition – a core exposition of the joint presentation given by the Podlaskie Province and the Ministry of Climate and Environment. It is Xylopolis who will start the cycle of presentations of Polish regions at the World’s Fair. The exhibition, as well as the project,  under the framework of which it was created, perfectly fit into the slogan of the Pavilion: “Poland. Creativity inspired by nature”.

Xylopolis aims at demonstrating the remarkable potential of Podlaskie Province, i.e.  its nature. The importance of nature is reflected in the region’s promotional motto – “Podlaskie fuelled by nature”.  Nature has always been an infinite source of inspiration for local residents, designers, architects and artists. The very name of the project – “Xylopolis” is derived from the Greek:  “xylo”, meaning “wood”, and “polis” – “a city-state”  (in ancient Greece).  There is a reason behind joining these two words together: the exhibition is focused on wood who represents nature and cities of the future – functioning in symbiosis with natural surroundings.

Xylopolis is the showcase of Poland, an exemplification of  the country’s nature, our unquestioned wealth, yet in need of safeguarding. The project looks to the future in consideration of harmony between man and nature.

The Xylopolis exhibition at Expo 2020 Dubai is unprecedented and many-sided. This character is reflected in three exposition segments.

The first segment “The Podlaskie nature” demonstrates amazing mechanisms and phenomena that eternally regulate the life cycle of plants and animals. On the example of the habitats unique on a European scale – the Białowieża Primeval Forest and the flood plains of the Biebrza and Narew river valleys, spectators are provided an opportunity to experience how nature propagates, dies and is reborn, over and over again, towards preserving the ecological balance.

The second segment “People in love with nature” is a story about an special relationship between man and nature. Observers not only gain knowledge on the ancient craftsmen but also get familiar with the passion developed through generations that resulted in the one and only ideas for using natural resources. The presentation of old-age carpentry techniques used centuries ago to establish resilient wooden houses in comparison to those contemporary shows knowledge and experience passed down from generation to generation, applied into the creation of modern, energy-efficient and low-maintenance housing.

The third segment is entitled  “Nature in love with man”. It depicts how nature shares its secrets with modern technology, as reflected, for example, in sustainable forest management carried out with the use of robots and intelligent drones who explore the primeval forest without harm. In the future,  such assistants may come to be the guardians of nature  safety and well-being. This exhibition segment presents the idea of the  “Silicon Forest”:  the intelligent urban center where economic development  progresses in symbiosis with nature.

Moreover, visitors to Poland’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai will have an opportunity to learn about scientific studies that turn vision into reality, such as those  carried out on plant and fungi species which can be used to develop new drugs, including cancer remedies or those on solutions to reduce energy consumption, such as the energy-efficient method to compile and process data by means of the method for ultra-fast recording of information.

The Xylopolis exhibition goes together with field activities related to environmental education carried out under the project framework. Some of these, such as workshops for school and university and students, have been already conducted in Poland.

Xylopolis is a project that proves that sustainable development is an indispensable component of future cities and may be substantially supported by innovative green technologies developed in Poland.

The concept of Xylopolis and the project itself are a result of joint efforts of specialists from the Podlaskie Province Marshal’s Office, the Institute of Environmental Protection – National Research Institute, the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the Unitalent foundation by the Unibep group and Bialystok University of Technology. The students from the Faculty of Architecture, Bialystok University of Technology (the project Partner) prepared the architectural design of the exhibition. The project is co-financed by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. The institution responsible for preparing Poland’s presence at the Expo 2020 Dubai is the Polish Investment and Trade Agency.

More information at: https://www.xylopolis.pl/