The Czech expedition is bringing to the United Arabian Emirates’ desert the greatest gift of all – water. The lighting sculpture entitled Golden Rain pays tribute to the unique process of manufacturing water from air. It was our great pleasure to create such an organic piece of art and thus become one of the main partners of the Czech Pavilion at the EXPO 2020. LASVIT has designed Golden Rain in the spirit of the EXPO 2020, staying true to this year’s theme – “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”. It is a commentary on environmental topics as well as an ode to traditional glass craftsmanship combined with cutting-edge technologies.

“The glass sculpture has the shape of golden lianas which have ‘grown’ throughout the whole pavilion. They remind visitors of the flow of energy that allows the entire building to function. The individual ‘stems’ were inspired by the core Czech exhibit at the EXPO 2020 – the S.A.W.E.R. system – which can transform the dry desert into a green oasis. In fact, the gold color which I use in the installation is similar to the functional complex of golden membranes on which the system condenses life-giving water droplets,” explains Maxim Velčovský, LASVIT’s Creative Director and the designer of this unique piece.

Being made of recyclable materials such as metal and glass, Golden Rain brings attention to the issues of sustainability and resilience, which perfectly fits the Czech Pavilion’s location at the main entrance to the Sustainability District. The Czech Pavilion shows off the revolutionary ability to create water from air for the purpose of rejuvenating arid soils, and what might have seemed like an impossible mission in the beginning has recently become a reality. The S.A.W.E.R. system works on the principle of condensation – leveraging the fact that even hot desert air contains a small amount of water vapor – and consequently converts sand dunes into fertile land through targeted microorganism reproduction.

“LASVIT has always strived for innovation and excellence while respecting the principles of sustainability. We therefore take pride in being a partner of the Czech Pavilion at the EXPO 2020, helping to promote something as beneficial and ambitious as bringing water where it matters,” concludes the company’s CEO Aleš Stýblo.

Golden Rain flows through the Czech Pavilion’s two floors and in places reaches a height of six meters, while about it weighs a total of 1 600 kg. It is wholly composed of dozens of glass pendants wrapped in gilded mesh, and 1 000 pieces of additional LED modules. The color scheme corresponds with the pavilion’s hi-tech equipment. Thanks to the dynamic lighting, the sculpture pulses with light and gives the impression of water flowing throughout the building’s interior.