German architecture studio LAVA has released its plans for Expo 2030 Riyadh, which includes a plan for a global village that will remain long after the Expo has ended, and which it says will become a ‘blueprint for cities to come’.
The statement on the LAVA reads;
“Since the first Great Exhibition in 1851, World Expos have functioned as showcases of modernity and expressions of national ambition. Most often, they’re remembered for their iconographic architectural gestures—the Crystal Palace, Eiffel Tower, Habitat 67—and for the debut of those feats of engineering that have changed and shaped our world. Yet their legacy remains complicated: while they’ve driven design innovation and new modes of thinking, many have left cities with fragmented infrastructure preserved out of historical obligation rather than contemporary need.
“Expo 2030 in Saudi Arabia positions itself as a corrective to such patterns of waste and ephemerality by proposing a lasting urban framework. “World Expos have always been about breakthroughs,” says Chris Bosse, Partner at LAVA. “This project will inspire necessary conversations about urbanism, pushing us all to design more sustainable, livable cities.” In this context, LAVA has developed a master plan that recasts the pageant of novelty as a generator of place.”
Situated at the edge of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing capital, Riyadh, the Expo will span six square kilometers and will combine the needs of a six-month event with the long-term logic of a permanent district. The master plan reflects Saudi Arabia’s ambitious future vision and directly engages with the Expo’s theme: Era of Change.
The site is focused around five major districts, which emerge like petals from a large Central Plaza. Three are dedicated to the Expo themes: Transformational Technology, Sustainable Solutions, and Prosperous People. One district represents the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the final district, Global Collaboration, is for large gatherings and events. Each district will function as a unique village.
Crucially, the Expo is designed not as an isolated enclave but as part of the wider urban fabric. It connects to Riyadh’s metro network, with direct links to King Salman International Airport, and is easily accessible via major arterial roads.