History - Poland at Expo 1935 Brussels

 

This pavilion of Poland was designed by the engineer Damman. It occupies an area of 800 m². The artistic direction of all interior decoration was entrusted to Thaddeus Gronowsky. It was Georges Vaxelaire (writer, diplomat and Belgian businessman) who is the commissioner general of the pavilion.

It has a central hall and six side rooms, plus an office of information occupying a room behind the central hall.

Marechal Pilsudski bust.

One of them is intended to illustrate the hunting in Poland.
It contains many rare and rich hunting trophies constituting European records.

The second room shows the development of agriculture and the agricultural industry in Poland.

The third is dedicated to the Polish industries.

To the right of the Hall, three other rooms. The first is devoted to the Polish port of Gdynia, founded in 1924 and whose prodigious development sets was a real technical record.

The second right room contains a very interesting material on tourism in Poland, while the last is devoted to the problems of communication in Poland. Note locomotives and wagons models, products of major Polish industries.

Guide et Livre d'Or Expo 1935 Bruxelles

Yemen pavilion - Hannover Expo 2000 !

Yemen pavilion at EXPO 2000 Hannover

Architect : Dar-Almohandis Mohamed Kassim Alarikey, Sana
Contact Architects  : Anderhalten Veauthier Architekten, Berlin
Lot size : 1 500 m²
Constructed area : 937 m²

The "Samsara", the traditional Yemeni market, is the main permanent attraction of this pavilion.
Irrigation techniques and crop terraces are presented on the ground floor.

The atrium in the center of the building is a natural skylights. Clay models reproduce cities of Sana'a and Shibam. The famous buildings of several floors were built nearly five centuries. The legend says that Sanaa was the first city founded by Noah after the flood.

The "Dam-Alakhoin", a very rare tree, can be admired on the first floor. Terrace with views leads directly to the magnificent wall surrounding the pavilion. This is the heart of everyday life. Small shops are carved into the wall of mud and include a traditional Yemeni market.

Artisans to perform pieces and expose them for sale: silver jewelry and everyday objects in leather. Performances and dances are held in the courtyard.

Yemenis themselves the goal to advance the status of women in their country.
Debates and symposia will be held on this subject during the entire duration of the EXP02000.

It's said to be in this "land of incense," that once crossed the spice caravans and agriculture is now enhanced by cleverly arranged terraces, that Noah was founded Sanaa, the first city ​​after the flood. A clay model of the city is exposed to the impressive buildings in the pavilion.

The pavilion of the state of Yemen comprises two major sections, that of the city wall with its street-market flair and that of the exhibition building. The city wall was built using the traditional construction method of clay and bricks. It comprises a number of small rooms where products, techniques and handicrafts from Yemen are exhibited to visitors. A terraced open-air exhibit offers a view of agricultural structures typical of the country and also provides space for performances. Visitors entering the pavilion are led across the marketplace to the main building. This three-story Samsara is constructed in the style of public buildings in the city of Sanaa und thus represents a number of important aspects of social and cultural life in Yemen. Pictures, models and objects present examples of Yemenite architecture, building methods and planning.

Event during Yemen national day.

Concepts. The building completely encloses a central space that remains open to the sky.
The exhibition is conceived in such a way that visitors are guided through the entire complex. On the third floor, the route leads out to the city wall, where visitors enjoy a view of the whole exhibition from the outside. A special room on the third floor, the socalled Majraj, is available for VIP events. Such rooms traditionally served as meeting places for Yemenite men.

3D model of Yemen pavilion.

Yemen pavilion.... today in Hannover !

The Palace of Iran at the Expo 1935 Brussels

The Palace of Iran stood in a charming corner of the Expo, in the center of the Dahlias Garden, near the International Hall, and the pavilions of Palestine and Egypt, completing with them a synthesis of the egendary and modern Orient at the same time. This building was inspired by one of the most famous monuments of antiquity: the palace of Darius at Persepolis. At the top of a broad porch, columns bore a sober peristyle, decorated with winged lions with human faces. M. Frankignoul, the architect in charge of the construction of this palace, studied the plans in our museums; his collaborator was M. Rene Burgraeve.

From the entrance one was seized by an atmosphere of delicate art and luxury; on the walls and on the floor, carpets, replicas of Persian rugs the most aptly famous. Among them, a copy of the painting "Hunting", one of the oriental wonders of the Louvre Museum. Visitors admired the delicacy, the fade, the velvety texture of these fabrics of astonishing finesse; one, pure silk, was the marvel of this section.
The Department of Industry, in recent years, has multiplied in Iran the professional schools where the art of reproducing the old Persian rugs is taught.

In this pavilion were also fine silverware from Shiraz and Isfahan: vases, bowls, knick-knacks, hand-carved with meticulous art; the same qualities distinguished the brass repulsed, very numerous and very beautiful. The Iranian artisans have taken over the traditions of the old oriental engravers. Huge copper platters evoked the great Persian poets, the ancient kings of Iran; then, they were hunting scenes, reproductions of famous paintings, tapestries. Artists had painted flowers, animals, hieratic faces on light candelabra and wooden candlesticks. Others had combined painting and gilding to create splendid covers of books or albums, bindings of the most refined taste. Still others, working bone and ivory with a perfection inherited from long generations of artists, had made belts, bracelets, objects illustrated with miniatures.

The silks and cottons printed, the hangings, the curtains, the embroideries of Isfahan and Recht, the carpets, the style of the pavilion, the clear decoration of the walls, all contributed to give to the Persian section, the aspect of a palace of the Thousand and One Nights. But, on the other hand, one could observe, by studying with the attention that each of them deserved, the compartments occupied by the main industries of Iran today: dried fruits, Astrakhan wool, cotton , skins, etc., that this very old country is moving resolutely on the path of progress.

Such was the opinion of all the visitors, and that of King Leopold III, who in the last days of July 1935 stopped for a long time at the Pavilion of Persia.

The pavilion was inaugurated on the 10th of July, 1935, by M. Gaffary, Minister of Persia at Brussels, and M. Ismailzade, Commissioner-General, who received under the peristyle M. Van Isacker, Minister of Economic Affairs, Count van der Burch, Messrs. Ad. Max and Ch. Fonck. A large number of Iranian and Belgian personalities attended the ceremony.

Mr. Ismailzade insisted on the will of progress of modern Persia. He showed how much the Belgo-Persian relations had multiplied and recalled that the reorganization of customs and posts in Iran was the work of Belgian officials.

An remnant of EXPO at the Norskfolkemuseum in Oslo !

What was my surprise, when I discover this Expo remnant, during a visit at the incredible Open Air Museum "norskfolkemuseum" in Oslo, Norway:

The gateway to King Oscar II's Collections.

The world's first open air museum was founded here by King Oscar II in 1881. The gateway in the old norse 'dragon' style was originally commissioned by the timber-company Saugbruksforeningen for the 1883 Industrial Exhibition in Oslo and afterwards presented to the King. The architect was Holm Munthe, the foremost designer working in the «dragon»style. King Oscar's Collections were incorporated in the Norsk Folkemuseum in 1907, and the gateway lost its purpose and was eventually taken down in 1951. Its re-erection in 1994 on the original site is funded by the Foundation 'Frit Ord'.

History - Japanese pavilion at the Expo 1900 Paris

The Japan Pavilion is not found in the official pavilions of the Nations Street on the banks of the Seine, but takes in the lower left of gardens, down the slopes of the Trocadero, an important area in which several buildings are a real small Japanese city.

The main building is an interesting reconstruction of the famous pagoda Kondo at Nora, whose architecture dates back to the seventh century AD.

Built in wood, with two floors, the roof tucked in the corners, balconies blood red dragon projecting the floral golden yellow wall at his lotus base, brightened with a bird flying in the intermediate part and crowned at its top by a frieze with cloudy female profiles. This pavilion houses the Imperial Museum with the rarest pieces of Japanese art.

A bazaar and a series of small pavilions between which runs a stream, are staged around. The greenhouse and garden together the most magnificent specimens of the exotic horticulture and reveal gardening methods and artificial cultivation of the highest interest.

Tea and "sake" rice wine each have their pavilion to which hasten the tasters.

History - Expo1937 Paris - Baltic States Pavilion: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Three Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are participating in the 1937 Paris Expo in a joint pavilion that symbolizes friendship and reconciliation.

This is an Estonian architect, Mr A. Nürnberg, which must draft Pavilion adopted after a competition of architects took part in the three countries.

Pavilion of Baltic states.

The Pavilion is located on a slope of the Trocadero Gardens side of the Passy wing of the new Palais. A 16 meters wide stone staircase leads theough two terraces, to the main entrance of the Pavilion; it consists of a glass wall jack in a steel frame 14 meters wide and 9m50 tall, with three doors also glass, above which are the three national symbols of the participating countries.

Girls in national costume.

In a large hall dedicated to the assembly and the Union of Three States, decorated with a monumental sculpture of 4m50 high, due to the Latvian sculptor Kaņeps, leaving three passages leading to the particular rooms Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

The first room on the right is dedicated to Estonia. Leopards stylized reminder of the arms of the Estonian state. The silver walls and decorated with black and blue detail, indicate the national colors of the country.
At the foot of the walls are arranged various objects of national art: carpets, ceramics, leather works, textiles, paintings, etc. The wall adjacent to the hall is devoted to demonstrate the operation of the coal shale plays an important role in the Estonian economy.

The room dedicated to Latvia shows a beautiful red and white walls flooring: national colors of that State. It contains many specimens of the Latvian folk art.

Lithuanian room is adorned by a large wooden sculpture placed in the community and representing Christ carved from a huge oak. This is a precious relic of Lithuanian national art. This art work was performed according to a model of the Lithuanian artist K. Mikenas by an old peasant specialist religious figures comply with the immemorial traditions.

Pavilion architect : M. Nürnberg
French collaborator : René Rotter

HISTORY - Norway at 1893 World's Columbian Exposition - Chicago

The Norwegian Building.

Despeite their political connection, Norway and Sweden had separate buildings a the World's Fair, each a credit to its country.

The Norwegian building was situated near the lake front ans east of the North Pond, amid a group of trees familiar to those who have visited Jackson Park before an Exposition was thought of.

In size, the building was sixty by twenty-five feet, and was constructed almost entirely of Norway pine.

All the workmen employed and all the material used were Norwegian, the house being made at Dronheim, put together with screws to enable transportation, and then taken apart again and shipped to this country.

It had gables surmounted by conventional "dragons' head", such of those which appeared on the Viking Ships, and quaint oriel windows which gave a most picturesque effect.

No attempt at a display of products was made in this building, Norway being represented elsewhere, but a large map of Norway, a few banners and a picture of the Viking Ship were among the decorations of the interior.

The Viking Ship, with the great Norse discovery it suggested, was, in itself display enough for one nation, and the Scandinavians, as descendants of the daring race who first learned that America existed, had splendid recognition at the Fair.

In the Norwegian Building, the race who have been sea-rovers from time immemorial gathered and were as merry as were their ancestors returning after a raid along the southern coasts of Europe.

The Viking Ship.

I was well that the Columbian celebration honor should be paid to Leif Ericsson, undoubtly the first European to land upon the shores of America, though due advantage was not taken of his great discovery, and it was weel too, that the Viking Ship seen at the Fair should be a reproduction of one buried which its commander at about the time Leif Ericsson made his voyage.

That was not far from the year 1000. The "Viking", as the vessel was named, was seventy-six feet in length, was open, with the exception of a small deck for and aft, and was very simply rigged with one mast, which could be taken down, and with a single sail. Evidently the Norsemen depended much on their long oars.

The prow was adorned with a dragon's head, and the stern with a dragon's tail, both beinf finished in gilt. Outside the slender bulwarks were hung the embellished shields of the crew, and there were benches and apertures for sixteen rowers on a side.

The rudder, after the ancient custom, was placed on the right side, close to the stern. A canopy which could be erected at will made a shelter over the deck.

The fund for the reproduction of the "Viking" was raised in Norway by popular subscription and, under the command of Captain Magnus Andersen and a picked Norwegian crew, the vessel made the trip across the Atlantic Ocean and through the great lakes with ease, doing even more than the Norsemen did so long ago in a similar craft.

A splendid exhibit was the "Viking", and all honors were paid it and its country by America.

Personal archives. LeMog

First World's Fair in United States... New York 1853

The Crystal Palace in New York has been achieved in 1853 to host a World Expo Industry. The building, designed by architects George Carstensen and Charles Gildemeister had the shape of a Greek cross. It was near the Croton Reservoir, between 5th and 6th Avenue, at 42nd.

It was topped by a 100-foot diameter dome.

The whole structure of the palace, like the one in London was entirely of iron and glass.
It was inaugurated July 14, 1853 and open to the public the 15.

From October, he was installed inside the heater to keep it open the palace during the winter.
The first American Expo closes April 15, 1854, after 9 months for a makeover, then re-open for a second season on May 4, 1854. The Expo will definitely end October 31, 1854.

Crystal Palace then host regular exhibitions, parties, events, until October 5, 1858, where the accidental fire will overcome it in less than half an hour.

And below, the poster for a show ... a little prescient ?

...and the end of the Crystal Palace, en 1858 :

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