LAVA unveils masterplan "anchored firmly in nature" for Expo 2030 Riyadh

German architecture studio LAVA has unveiled the masterplan for the 2030 World Expo on a site near King Salman International Airport to the north of Riyadh.

The studio designed the masterplan for the event in the Saudi Arabian capital city, which will be the latest World Expo following Expo 2025 Osaka, which is currently taking place in Japan.

Renders released by LAVA show a district with organic-shaped, rock-like buildings informed by the country's rivers and wadis.

Arranged around a central river, the masterplan is arranged into five petal-like groupings that are connected by bridges.

"We have anchored the design firmly in nature," said LAVA co-founder Chris Bosse.

"The master plan exemplifies how nature and technology, environmental restoration and urban innovation can effectively coexist."

According to the studio, the masterplan is designed as a space to host the global event, but also intended to become a future retail and leisure district in Riyadh.

It will be built on a site enclosed by major roads near the airport and alongside the Zaha Hadid Architects-designed King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre and the King Salman Stadium designed by Populous, which is currently under construction ahead of the 2030 World Cup.

Set to take place between 1 October 2030 and 31 March 2031, Riyadh Expo 2030 will be curated under the title The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow.

It is one of several international events due to take place in the country over the coming years, with the World Cup in 2030 and the Asian Winter Games set to be hosted in the Trojena ski resort.

LAVA is also masterplanning Trojena, which forms part of the wider Neom mega project, where the studio is also designing a "upside-down skyscraper" on the Gulf of Aqaba.

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