reated to increase awareness of depleting global resources, climate change, over-consumption, sedentary lifestyles and sustainability options, Eco Future is a year-long, educational, family-orientated exhibition which gives visitors a glimpse into sustainable lifestyles.

Held at The Manarat Al Saadiyat on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, four interactive, futuristic characters – Ali, Moza, Yas and Sara – take visitors through six zones: Drinking; Eating, Enjoying; Moving; Building; and Future City.

Partially modelled on the Emirate’s own long-term sustainability plans, the 900sq m (10,000sq ft) exhibit features a series of games that promote virtual decision-making about real-world issues. These issues include green building, healthy living, and moderate water and energy consumption.

Design solutions are collated on personalised eco tags, which reveal to visitors at the end of the exhibition their own Future City. Children aged between eight- and 12-years-old are given a card with an embedded microchip at the start of the exhibit. They then visit each of the games, which encourage them to make decisions, such as what kind of materials to use for building and what meals to choose based on their sustainability.

At the end of the exhibit, which takes approximately 45 minutes to complete, the children receive a green score card, which helps them to realise that what may appear to be healthy or sustainable, might not actually be.

Opened in October 2012, Science & Media LLP delivered the exhibition to Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) in Abu Dhabi and Hypsos in Dubai executed the design.

“The design is created in a cartoon-style to appeal to the younger audience, but educational elements are a significant part of the exhibition,” says Jan Muller, general manager at Hypsos in Dubai. “Interactivity is widely spread throughout the exhibition so that visitors can really take part. “As well as the funny characters, there’s a lot of in-depth information and visitors can raise questions, so older guests enjoy the experience too.”