Abu Dhabi-based Cimolai Rimond Middle East General Contracting has been awarded a contract to provide steel work for the intricate domed trellis of Expo 2020 Dubai’s central Al Wasl Plaza.

A UAE-Italian joint venture, Cimolai Rimond said its steel work will provide the trellis structure for the 67.5-m-tall, 130m-wide dome that will become an inspiring piece of architecture at the heart of Expo.

When finished, the structure will include 13,600m of intricate steel work and weigh 2,265 tonnes, equivalent to 500 elephants, with an enclosed space of 724,000m3 – the same volume as 290 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Al Wasl Plaza will be a central space of the 4.38-sq-km site and will make a dramatic impression on the millions of people visiting Expo 2020 Dubai from around the world, said the company in a statement.

Ahmed Al Khatib, vice president of real estate and delivery at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Al Wasl Plaza will be an iconic central point of Expo 2020 Dubai. We are glad to be working with Cimolai Rimond Middle East, which has a strong track record, including working on the UAE National Pavilion at the 2015 World Expo in Milan.”

“This is the latest construction contract to be awarded this year. Work on Expo 2020 is well on track and we are making great progress. We will be awarding the final construction contract for Al Wasl Plaza in the first quarter of next year,” stated Al Khatib.

“I am really excited at seeing this colossal dome rise and take shape. The size of the structure is huge – easily big enough to accommodate an Emirates airline A380 aircraft, with a surface area the same as almost five football pitches,” he noted.

“It’s going to be an incredible sight at the heart of Expo 2020 Dubai, and a major attraction for District 2020 – our legacy development,” he added.

CEO Giuseppe Antonio Chiarandá said: “We are very proud to be working with Expo 2020 Dubai on such a prestigious project. We are bringing years of experience in advanced design and production of structural steel work to bear on this task.”