Expo Pavilions As Expression of National Aspirations

Home , British pavilion, Danish pavilion, Expo 2012

This is the post-print of: Expo Pavilions As Expression Of National Aspirations. Architecture As Political Symbol. a pre-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in Archhist’ 13 ARCHITECTURE POLITICS ART CONFERENCE, Politics in the history of architecture as cause & consequence, Vol. 48, 2013, pp. 20-29, following peer review.

EXPO PAVILIONS AS EXPRESSION OF NATIONAL ASPIRATIONS Architecture as political symbol Ksenia Katarzyna Piatkowska Gdansk University of Technology, Poland

Abstract: The World‘s Fair since their beginning served as an international presentation of goods and achievements of particular nations and all the same became the résumé of global development. Independently from the actual political situation the Expos’ area became the oasis of peace where the potential antagonisms were expressed through the evocative architecture of pavilions. The Expo pavilions are extraordinary for their temporary character. The temporariness factor and the cost- effectiveness of Expo pavilions’ constructions are juxtaposed with high expectations due to the pavilions prestige and the aesthetic expression. According to the circumstances there are often built objects that become the architectural icons or unforgettable symbols and physical proclamation of present. Architecture of the Expo pavilions becomes the evident testimony to contemporary constructing abilities at the same time attaining perfection in the form. Expo pavilions are the extreme example of use of architecture as political symbol. The national pavilions - once ignored and underestimated – currently may change any nation’s image dramatically. Thus the role of architecture in case of creating the Expo pavilions cannot be overestimated. Abounding in symbolism and contemporary, innovative solutions is lake a mirror the modern mankind looks at herself with a admiration and at the same time plans next surprising aesthetic revolutions and ideological theories.

Keywords: Expo pavilions, symbolic architecture, architecture as a political symbol, architecture of aspirations, World’s Fair

Introduction: Expos – exposition, aims, influence. The World‘s Fair (also known as Expos) are the exceptional phenomenon in history and culture. Since their beginning they served as an international presentation of goods and achievements of particular nations and all the same became the résumé of global development. Due to concentration of the ‘amazing things from all over the world’ in one place and time Expos were the chance to exotic trip throughout the unknown globe civilizations (Kretschmer, 1999). The World‘s Fair were organized independently from the actual political situation. Though they had no mediator’s power they caused the peculiar truce between the conflicting sides. The Expos’ area became the oasis of peace and potential antagonisms were expressed through the evocative architecture of pavilions (Image 1). Particularly in 1920s they served as the manifestation of political independence and presented the favourable economical condition of the countries hosting Expos. The exhibition itself is a specific form of popularizing information about things, thoughts and ideas. It happens via images created in at least three dimensions – seeing, hearing and touching. The factual content of the images is transmitted by direct contact of audience with exhibits. Exposing means presenting, showing something as an example/pattern, ascribing the particular objects specific features and value and at the same time intentional selecting its physical form. Interpreting the exposition might be divided into two phases – in the beginning we recognize an exhibit, then we find the general exhibition’s subject. The subject of an exhibition is an intellectual content, an exhibit - the material objects. Since an exhibit plays the role of the main transmitter, of the illustration of an exposition’s issue – an idea (Osęka, Piotrowska, 1968). Many types of the exhibits may be singled out: commercial, propaganda, didactic, specialist etc. The selection of the exhibit’s type depends on the exhibition’s character, but especially on the intentions of the exhibitor. Nevertheless there is one fundamental condition, that every exhibit must meet – it has to be recognizable for the audience. An exposition, for reasons of its meaning multilayer and the multiplicity of messages, reduces to minimum the chance for its explicitness. As the result a viewer does not know either he should just admire the particular object or might understand its essence too. So the final function of an exhibition constitutes an outcome of the exhibitors’ efforts to create an evocative picture and audience’s perceptual abilities. The Expo world is the environment of objects arranged against the logic of natural order, it is an autonomic expression of the world, the world of forms artificially diversified forms weaved in false situations (Osęka, Piotrowska, 1968). The Expo as an event standing out against prevalence is always extremely expected and frequently recalled. The journey through the Expo pavilions becomes a ritual and a adventure, brings surprises and disappointments, regularity and improvisation. That settles Expo’s temporariness. Expo is a holiday to splendid for a weekday. Besides, lasting means aging, ossifying, and exhibition must be fresh and topical message. Expo is a paragon of change, 1 progress and vital energy. It is an image of the world changing constantly. Expo is not a landscape build with ordinary forms, it consists of ideas, that nations present towards the mankind [1]. Expo has an extraordinary value as a document recording the spiritus temporis . It is the dream of a mankind about itself, fairy tale about own affluence and happiness, legend about human’s might and virtue (Osęka, Piotrowska, 1968). In fact World’s Fairs do not dedicate much room to the reflections on the past epochs. Expos are strongly turned on the future.

Image 1 . Champ de Mars view on Exposition Internationale Paris 1937 with the National Pavilion of The Third Reich and the National Pavilion of the USSR opposite.

Expo pavilions as architectural objects. The Expo pavilions are extraordinary for their temporary character. It is a special type of buildings – although passing, designed for the specific circumstances and time of exploitation – without provisional character. The temporariness factor and the cost-effectiveness of pavilions’ constructions are juxtaposed with high expectations due to pavilions prestige and aesthetic expression. There are built interesting objects, sometimes outstanding ones. Some of them become the architectural icons (Image 2), others the unforgettable symbols and physical proclamation of present (Image 3). Architecture of Expo pavilions becomes the evident testimony to contemporary constructing abilities at the same time attaining perfection in the form (Image 4). It makes a building to stand out from the others in order to capture visitors. The contemporary Expos’ architecture avoids forms already recognizable to our eyes. It steers clear of this, what had been. It quests for solutions we haven’t seen yet. At the cost of extravagance tries to connect the visitor’s imagination with presented vision of tomorrow. The Expo pavilions might be qualified as a kind of intellectual shortcut, sign, illusion. In this manner the citation of the concrete issue is avoided. Such attitude allows to emphasize just the chosen areas, features stimulating the free interpretation. The imagined object does not bring the same effect as the authentic one. It generates wider opportunity for creating a new, positive image. Over the last quarter century many pavilions were the elegant shells or abstract sculptures loosing the opportunity to say anything (Image 5). Why do some pavilions have a message and others do not? It is very hard to say something worthwhile and to say it in entertaining, moving way. In the consumerism era pavilions of a temporary character seem to be the answer for the fast viewers’ expectations’ satisfaction or may surprise them with experimental solutions. The Expo pavilions, using the latest scientific and technological achievements, become the “hot products”. And the significance of Expos motivates the designers to ambitious projects.

Image 2. Barcelona Pavilion (Mies van der Rohe) Barcelona 1929.

Image 3 . L’Esprit Nouveau (Le Corbusier) Paris 1925. Image 4. Eiffel Tower Paris 1889.

Image 5. British Pavilion Shanghai 2010. 3 The national pavilions are at present the most important group of expos objects. Their architecture and construction illustrate technological advance and economical possibilities of the particular country. They are the manifestation of power and aspirations of the people. Architecture allows to express values professed by the definite ethnic group, it becomes speechless but garish medium and clear mean of expressions. Architecture is an another show-piece of the exhibition, able to illustrate the heritage and national identity. Often the expo-architecture is the ‘architecture of records’, display of design skills carried out more for its technical virtuosity than the visual effect. The national pavilion constitutes a sum of national aspirations, features and talents formed in expressive entirety. The first national pavilions appeared on Wien World’s Fair in 1873 (Image 6). The system of small exhibition objects presenting the particular country was successively improved. They obtained more and more prestige until nowadays, when the sector of the national pavilions is the most extensive and most frequently visited. The pavilions – often in a form of iconographic manifestation – are the device in marketing strategy of a particular country. They become a product promoting given values, that should be associated with specific community. These objects create the recognizable image and this image must be competitive to other pavilions of nations taking part in Expo. Not necessary this image must be in accordance with the truth, as aspirations not always are or become reality. Then pavilions express not the real view of matter but sell imagined picture presenting aspirations and dreams of a particular group of people (Image 7,8,9). Preserving some of the national pavilions after the Expo exhibition seems to be an interesting phenomenon. They are at the same time the history testimony, the proof of presence at this international event, and the portrait of national condition in the contemporary time. Thus a particular country may look into the past as in a mirror and assess its progress, achievements or failures and defeats. Therefore it is strived to design national pavilions as the most current expression of social-economic-cultural situation of this country in contemporary time. The intention of designer is to reach unreached, the intention of visitors to discover undiscovered. The stake in this game is building a new image or enhancing and stabilizing the existing brands. Such operations bring measurable effects in the form of economical results arising due to increasing interest of the country and the nation. It generates intense visitors’ interest. In case of Expo pavilions the power of manifestation influences the host country political situation on the background of other nations. The evocative architecture exposes ambitions but also animosities or preferences of the society.

Image 6. World’s Fair Wien 1873, Ottoman Coffee House

Architecture of the theme pavilions exposes the issues discussed while expo and due to its spectacular character attracts and focuses visitors’ attention on main matter of the exposition. Sometimes evocative architecture helps to understand the discussion problems better. The pavilions become the ambassadors of values important for the mankind in the time the expo lasts – the conquest of space or the depleting of the natural energy sources – and are the expression of man aspirations and emotions (Image 10) . The organizers of Expo are unlikely to be able to exert the same degree of control over the design of the individual pavilions. However, they can apply certain principles to the theme pavilions (designed and operated by the organizers) and work with exhibitors to encourage functional visitor flow. The net results can enhance the visitors experience (Linden & Creighton, 2008). The main pavilions (also known as central) with their character of social salon are the witnesses of extraordinary events, that – like themselves – are fleeting and unique. They play the role of temple or oasis, where all the expo’s participants celebrate ceremony dedicated to unshakeable values like: progress, civilization, health, happiness, genius of humankind (Montreal 1967). The central pavilions win symbolic meaning alike other objects constructed throughout history to commemorate significant historical events – triumphal arches, columns, obelisks (Image 11). These pavilions often stay after the exposition and become its symbol and a symbol of the city and country where Expo took place. They usually play the key role in the marketing strategies promoting particular region (Image 12).

Image 7. Image 8. Image 9.

Image 7. Danish Pavilion Shanghai 2010 Image 8. Spanish Pavilion Shanghai 2010 Image 9. Polish Pavilion Shanghai 2010

Image 10a. Galerie Des Machines Paris 1889 Image 10b. Pavilion One Ocean, Yeosu, Expo 2012

Image 11. Image 12. Image 13.

Image 11. Atomium Brussel 1958. Image 12. Macau (France) Pavilion Shanghai 2010 Image 13. Philips Pavilion (Le Corbusier) Brussel 1958

Image 14. German Pavilion Brussel 1910 Image 15. Germany Pavilion Shanghai 2010 5 Conclusions: Expo pavilions as expression of national aspirations Political power takes many forms. Many political regimes make especially powerful symbolic use of the physical environment. Architecture and urban design have been manipulated in the service of politics. They serve as symbols of the state. All buildings are products of social and cultural conditions (Vale, 2008). Of course we can state that architecture is a form of politics. Generally the relationship between art/architecture and politics is both old and new, clear and complex. But politics is about everything and nothing nowadays. So is architecture the same? Sometimes it is difficult not to be under the impression, that architects tend to think they are facing the all needs of the world. And by using the power of architecture expression they will change the political interrelations. It is hard to believe in such idealistic turn of matters. Expos case shows, that to use architecture to challenge social norms is realistic and brings notable effects. It is essential to open up the definition of architecture to the market forces and use it as a crucial factor in economical development. Architects have to be interested in architecture and its physical becoming, but should be more interested in the effect that these interventions have vis-à-vis other fields of knowledge, and in particular, what kind of space- and time- relationships their work generates in terms of users (Miessen, 2009). Conjectured theories are the basis to develop projective matter. Most interesting projects start with a hypothesis that wants to be tested. Sometime this can be achieved in a spatial or physical way as an spectacular Expo pavilion. Over the years, a wide variety of buildings and structures – from inflatable to geodesic domes – have been erected at Expos. In fact, one of the great attraction of an Expo, whose images survive the ephemeral nature of the event, is the spectacle of a wide ranging variety buildings and structures. Those that survive after the Expo go on to other uses – either in place on site or reassembled elsewhere – and form part of the physical legacy. Those that are demolished become part of the historical legacy (Linden & Creighton, 2008) (Image 13). Particular work of architecture conveys meaning. “National pavilions may be the expression of so called vernacular architecture. Moreover the vernacular architecture is itself in continuous evolution, especially in heterogeneous societies subject to ever-increasing architectural cross-pollinations, globalized markets, and rapid urbanization. “ (Vale, 2008, p.321). Building a spectacular object, coming out from the hundreds other pavilions built and presented on Expo, become the ambition of contemporary societies [2]. They can go beyond politics, present the country as microcosm, be an idealization or critical synthesis. “No building actually constructed can avoid being a product of its place and its producers” (Vale, 2008, p.321). As Expos in general are now taking place on a smaller scale overall, exhibitors will invest less in costly architecture, but desire and effort – to create something innovative, arresting and iconic for the world audience – remain. The nature of Expo buildings is changing, but it will continue to be something interesting, instructive and sometimes influential (Linden & Creighton, 2008). Expo pavilions are the extreme example of use of architecture as political symbol. The national pavilions - once ignored and underestimated – currently may change any nation’s image dramatically (Image 14,15). Thus the role of architecture in case of creating the Expo pavilions cannot be overestimated. Designing pavilions is designing power and identity. Abounding in symbolism and contemporary, innovative solutions is lake a mirror the modern mankind looks at herself with a admiration and at the same time plans next surprising aesthetic revolutions and ideological theories.

Notes: [1] In Montreal for the first time the pavilions of the African countries renounced deluding with exoticism and – by the turn towards contemporary architecture – manifested new political and economic ambitions of this continent. [2] The competition to design the United Kingdom’s pavilion was won by a team led by Heatherwick Studio. Like the other western countries, the UK’s site was the size of a football pitch but, unlike those countries, the budget given to the project was much smaller. In addition, our brief was that the UK’s pavilion must be one of the expo’s “top five” most popular attractions. If it was to meet this target, the UK Pavilion would have to stand out from the other 200 pavilions. Instead of trying to shout above the noise, we aimed to do one powerful thing with simplicity and clarity, insisting on surprising visitors by the absence of screens and technological devices. And, because many of the Expo’s seventy million visitors would only see the pavilion from the outside and many more would only experience it on internet or television, we also realized that the outside of the pavilion needed to tell you what was going on inside. The way to achieve this was to make the building be a manifestation of its content. [http://www.heatherwick.com/uk-pavilion/] 14.04.2013

6 Images: 1. Champ de Mars view on Exposition Internationale Paris 1937 with the National Pavilion of The Third Reich and the National Pavilion of the USSR opposite . Schriefers T.: Für Den Abriss Gebaut? Anmerkungen Zur Geschichte Der Weltausstellungen , Ardenkuverlag, Hagen 1999, p. 89 2. Barcelona Pavilion (Mies van der Rohe) Barcelona 1929 . Bronta J.P.: Anatomía De La Interpretación En Arquitectura. Reseña Semiótica Del Pabellón De Barcelona De Mies Van Der Rohe , Gustavo Gili, Barcelona 1975, p. 49 3. L’Esprit Nouveau (Le Corbusier) Paris 1925 . Cohen J-L.: Le Corbusier 1887-1965. The Lyricism Of Architecture In The Machine Age , Taschen, Köln 2004, p.30 4. Eiffel Tower Paris 1889. Gössler P., Leuthäuser G. : Architektur Des 20. Jahrhunderts , Benedikt Taschen Verlag, Köln 1990, p. 20 5. British Pavilion Shanghai 2010. Jodidio, Ph.: Temporary. Architecture now! Taschen, Cologne 2011, p. 202 6. World’s Fair Wien 1873, Ottoman Coffee House. http://maviboncuk.blogspot.com/2010/02/ weltausstellung-1873-wien.html, 07.02.2010 7. Danish Pavilion Shanghai 2010. Jodidio, Ph.: Temporary. Architecture now! Taschen, Cologne 2011, p. 95 8. Spanish Pavilion Shanghai 2010. Jodidio, Ph.: Temporary. Architecture now! Taschen, Cologne 2011, p. 270 9. Polish Pavilion Shanghai 2010. http://kuala06skylab.blogspot.com/2010/05/blog-post_368.html, 01.03.2013 10. 10a/. Theme Pavilion ( Galerie Des Machines ) Paris 1889. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons /a/a6/ clc_528_-_paris_-_galerie_des_machines.jpg ? 10b/. Theme Pavilion One Ocean, Yeosu (Korea) Expo 2012. http://www.bustler.net/index.php/article/one_ocean_somas_thematic_pavilion_for_the_ 2012_expo_opens_in_yeosu_korea/ 11. Atomium Brussel 1958. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/atomium.jpg 12. Macau (France) Pavilion Shanghai 2010. http://www.designboom.com/architecture/macau-pavillion-for- shanghai-2010-by-carlos-marreiros-architects/, 10.03.2013 13. Philips Pavilion (Le Corbusier) Brussel 1958. Schriefers T.: Für Den Abriss Gebaut? Anmerkungen Zur Geschichte Der Weltausstellungen , Ardenkuverlag, Hagen 1999, p. 124 14. German Pavilion Brussel 1910. Schriefers T.: Für Den Abriss Gebaut? Anmerkungen Zur Geschichte Der Weltausstellungen , Ardenkuverlag, Hagen 1999, p. 170 15. Germany Pavilion Shanghai 2010. http://www.jsqa.net/images/german_pavilion_shanghai_expo2010.gif, 10.03.2011

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About the author Dr. Ksenia Katarzyna Piatkowska: Currently employed as an assistant professor in the Architecture Faculty of Gdansk University of Technology. For over ten years, she worked as an independent architect specializing in public buildings’ architecture. Professional participant of complicated investment processes as a project manager and coordinator. Graduated from the Architektur Fakultät Universität Stuttgart (2002) and the Architecture Faculty of Gdansk University of Technology (2002). Earned a Ph.D. Eng. in 2010.