Our Story

The concept of Rainforest Pavilion came from the founder Alexander Arbess-Joy. His life as an environmentalist and DJ/Artist converged into what the Rainforest Pavilion is today. It was his dream to bring the two paths together.

Alex’s deep love for the rainforest runs in his veins. Growing up, he immersed himself in the temperate rainforests of Canada, but his journey took a transformative turn when he lived among the Dayak people in the Bornean rainforest. Later in life, he embraced his passion by leading trips through the lush landscapes of the Sumatran rainforests, sharing the marvels of these ecosystems with international school students. “ I feel when I am in the Rainforest that I am near the heart of the planet, it’s a giant cyclical perfect system, understanding the diversity of life and symbiotic relationships in this ecosystem holds the answers to many of humanities problems. Science should focus more on understanding the planet than predicting the future”.

In a different much more urban pursuit, Alexander started DJ’ing and was involved in the rave scene in starting in the late 90’s. He always felt like there was so much energy in the music and in the community surrounding it, music was the ultimate language that could cross all borders and unite many people from different walks of life in celebration.

His DJ career got a kick start in 2000 being one of the youngest DJ’s to ever play on the bill with the legendary dj duo of the era Sasha and Digweed. His career as a DJ continued evolving over the last 20 years, never attaining super stardom but getting solid bookings and playing prestigious stages around the world including the now famed Robot Heart at Burning Man.

Alexander’s journey converged at the Wonderfruit festival, a vibrant celebration dedicated to inspiring ideas for positive change. Through a serendipitous chain of events that spanned from Bali to Burning Man, he connected with the festival’s curator, leading to a creative proposal: an interactive space designed to mimic a rainforest. This unique pavilion would invite leaders from various sectors to share their visions for fostering a sustainable and abundant future for our planet. Thus, the Rainforest Pavilion was born!