Royal College of Art Expo 2020
Showcasing the RCA’s innovation for a global audience.
I oversaw the strategy, project management and delivery of all the elements surrounding the RCA presence at Expo 2020.
The challenge.
The RCA was the Official Heritage Partner of the UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai. The objective was to showcase the college’s innovation, creativity and knowledge in order to grow its reputation internationally and increase revenue.
For the RCA Day, I supported the curatorial vision for the exhibition, which was centred around four themes: sustainability, mobility, advancement and opportunity. I collated work from students and arranged shipping to and from Dubai, I planned the build of the exhibit space, I worked on messaging and promotional materials and I arranged photography and videography to capture the exhibit.
I also organised a conference with PwC Middle East, scheduling and booking the space, overseeing branding and design and arranging a private viewing of the RCA exhibit for conference attendees.
The impact.
Exhibiting at Expo 2020 allowed the RCA to showcase students’ work and centre design-led innovations as the key for a sustainable future. Reception of the RCA’s activities was overwhelmingly positive and received wide media coverage. Outcomes of the RCA’s participation in Expo 2020 include:
Content produced for the exhibit was repurposed for the RCA’s participation in the London Design Festival.
Expo 2020 helped the RCA to build new relationships and strengthen its existing partnership with the UK Government and specifically with the Department of International Trade (DIT).
InnovationRCA have signed a memorandum of understanding with PwC and another public sector client for consultancy services.
Development and Alumni Relations (RCA DARO) cultivated a seven-figure donation from a high-profile benefactor to further the RCA’s efforts in sustainability research.
There are plans to showcase RCA research at COP28 in 2023.
Conversations are already underway for the RCA to collaborate with the DIT for Expo 2025 in Japan.
As part of the Expo programme, a conference was held in partnership with PwC Middle East looking at Shaping Futures: Education, Innovation and Living Together. Various sessions and panels were held throughout the conference. Photo credit: Matthew Twaddell/RCA.
Shaping Futures: Design-Led Innovations Exhibition
The RCA’s two-day exhibition at the UK Pavilion was titled ‘Shaping Futures: Design-Led Innovations’ and was broken up into Sustainability, Advancement, Mobility, and Opportunity. Exhibition build: Bray Leino. Video production: Next Shoot. Design: Giulia Garbin. Photo credits: Matthew Twaddell/RCA.
Shaping Futures printed materials
A programme was created for the conference, which carried the design identity for RCA’s Expo participation. Photo credit: Emma Todd
Notebooks were created and given out at the conference and during the exhibition at the UK Pavilion to visitors. Photo credit: Emma Todd.
Student recruitment was one objective of the exhibition. To tie into the wider RCA campaign identity, Bond and Coyne designed a flyer that was printed in both English and Arabic for use during Expo 2020. Photo credit: Emma Todd.