The New Zealand Pavilion showcased the nation's core value of Kaitiakitanga, the indigenous Māori concept meaning "Care for People and Place." The pavilion's design was primarily led by the New Zealand architectural firm Jasmaxand drew its narrative inspiration from the Whanganui River, which was legally recognized as a single living entity. This theme was physically represented by a striking, kinetic façade that pulsed like a heartbeat, symbolizing the life-force, or mauri, of nature. To ensure the complex design was built to local standards and successfully realized on-site in the UAE, the local firm Rice Perry Ellis played the crucial supporting role of the Architect of Record.