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EXPO OVERVIEW

Designing an International Horticultural Expo in the USA

Expo 2031 USA is a once-in-a-generation opportunity — a six-month global showcase that will bring millions of visitors and the world’s spotlight to American innovation, culture, and horticulture.

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U.S. Grower Investor Partners don’t just supply plants — they become part of the story. U.S. Grower Investor Partner products are purchased for thematic Expo Zone landscapes. Grower Partner brands are showcased to millions, and Grower Partners are recognized as a design leader in front of global media, trade delegations, and industry peers.

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EXPO LANDSCAPE DESIGN​

In a World Horticultural Exposition, the landscape and architectural design elements are crucial because the event serves as a showcase of global horticultural excellence, cultural expression, and sustainable innovation. The most important elements usually fall into five interconnected categories:

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Master Planning & Spatial Organization

  • Thematic Zoning: Separate areas based on themes 

  • Circulation & Accessibility: Wide pedestrian promenades, shaded walkways, ramps, and well-connected pathways

  • Focal Points: Central plazas, iconic pavilions, and landmark sculptures for orientation and gathering

  • View Corridors: Framing vistas toward significant structures or landscapes

 

​Landscape Design Elements

  • Signature Gardens:

    • National gardens (each participating country designs a display)

    • Thematic gardens (e.g., desert landscapes, tropical forests, urban rooftop gardens)

  • Water Features: Reflecting pools, waterfalls, interactive fountains, and wetlands for cooling and ambiance

  • Plant Collections: Rare species, seasonal blooms, vertical gardens, and climate-adapted plantings

  • Topography & Landform: Gentle mounds, terraces, and earthworks for visual interest and microclimates

  • Shade & Shelter: Pergolas, green canopies, and tree-lined boulevards for comfort

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Architectural Design Elements

  • Main Entrance Gateways: Iconic, symbolic structures that embody the Expo theme

  • Pavilions:

    • National Pavilions—express local culture, architecture, and plant heritage

    • Thematic Pavilions—focus on topics like health and wellbeing, sustainability, technology, and biodiversity

  • Observation Towers & Platforms: For panoramic views of the exposition grounds

  • Event Spaces: Open-air amphitheaters, covered stages, and exhibition halls

  • Sustainable Architecture: Solar-powered roofs, rainwater harvesting systems, and recycled materials

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Sustainable & Ecological Features

  • Green Infrastructure: Bioswales, living roofs, green walls, and permeable paving

  • Energy Solutions: Solar shading structures, wind turbines, geothermal cooling

  • Water Management: Greywater recycling, drip irrigation, and stormwater gardens

  • Biodiversity Corridors: Habitats for pollinators, birds, and aquatic species

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Cultural & Experiential Enhancements

  • Art Installations: Floral sculptures, kinetic art, and botanical-inspired structures

  • Night Lighting: LED-illuminated pathways, garden lighting, and projection mapping on plants and buildings

  • Interactive Zones: Hands-on horticulture workshops, children’s gardens, sensory gardens

  • Seasonal Programming: Festivals, floral parades, music performances, and cultural showcases

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EXPO ZONES

The Expo 2031 Horticultural Design Landscape

Expo 2031 USA is comprised of a collection of Expo Site Zones

5 Thematic Climate Zones stage the Expo 2031 Experience

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ARID ZONE

The air is warm, the light is golden, and the earth hums quietly beneath your feet. Welcome to the Arid Zone — where life has learned to flourish against all odds.

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TROPICAL ZONE

Step forward and feel it — the air grows heavier, sweeter, alive.
You’ve entered the Tropical Zone — a living symphony of water, light, and color, where humanity and horticulture breathe as one.

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TEMPERATE ZONE

Step into a world that feels familiar — yet endlessly changing.
Here, life moves in rhythm with the seasons… each one a teacher in its own way.
Welcome to the Temperate Zone — the landscape of balance, transformation, and renewal.

In the temperate world, time itself becomes the gardener.

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CONTINENTAL ZONE

Welcome to the vast heart of the continent.
A place defined not by edges, but by endless horizons.
Here, earth and sky stretch into forever — and humanity learns to live with the rhythm of the land.
This is the Continental Zone — where endurance, innovation, and abundance meet.

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NORTH STAR ZONE

Step into the North — where silence glows, and the land breathes beneath snow and starlight.
Here, winter is not the end of growth, but the pause before renewal.
This is the North Star Zone —

where endurance meets beauty, and every living thing learns to thrive in the cold.

IN EVERY ZONE

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1

Landscape Elements

  • USDA Climate Plant Palette

    • Flowers

    • Plants

    • Trees & Shrubs

  • Microclimates​

  • Seasonal Gardens:

    • Rotating beds to highlight peak bloom periods.

    • Tree & Shrubs matching climate

2

Architectural Features

  • Climate-Adaptive Pavilions​

  • Seasonal Viewing Structures​

  • Raised Decks

3

Education & Interpretive

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  • “Hardy Plant Champions” Exhibit: Explaining plant traits that allow survival in −20°F temperatures.

  • Interactive Climate Garden: Visitors adjust irrigation, shading, and plant choices to see virtual seasonal effects.

  • Demonstrations:

    • Cold frame and hoop house gardening.

    • Composting in cold climates

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4

Cultural & Arttistic

  • Plant Palette:

    • Spring

    • Summer.

    • Fall

  • Microclimates​

  • Seasonal Gardens:

    • Rotating beds to highlight peak bloom periods.

    • Tree & Shrubs matching climate

5

Visitor Amenities

  • Climate-Adaptive Pavilions​

  • Seasonal Viewing Structures​

  • Raised Decks

6

Partner Recognition

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  • “Hardy Plant Champions” Exhibit: Explaining plant traits that allow survival in −20°F temperatures.

  • Interactive Climate Garden: Visitors adjust irrigation, shading, and plant choices to see virtual seasonal effects.

  • Demonstrations:

    • Cold frame and hoop house gardening.

    • Composting in cold climates

Let’s Design an Expo

Get in touch so we can explore the synergies!

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EXPO 2031 WORD BLUSH image lockup Wendy

U.S. ORGANIZING ENTITY / OFFICIAL LICENSE HOLDER

Expo 2031 Minnesota, USA is a registered Minnesota Nonprofit Corporation

EIN 39-3281672

5108 W 74th Street #736
Minneapolis, MN 55439

1.612.513.2107
contact@expo2031.org

www.expo2031.org

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