Some Lesser Known World's Fair Architectural Achievements

My latest article in the official Expo 2012 blog is now up!

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Expo '70 Animation

After posting about the Expo '70 Mushballoons, I was alerted to the existence of this great animation featuring Osaka's Expo '70. It's based on a popular Japanese comic strip called Sazae-san.



You can see several iconic structures: the Tower of the Sun, the Mushballoons, and even the Australian Pavilion, whose architect we interviewed on the World's Fair Podcast.

Expo '70's Mushballoons

I'm fascinated by these structures that were in Expo '70's amusement zone, Expoland. The park lived on for decades after 1970 and I'd love to find out whatever became of these structures... and how well they survived in the elements.



The text accompanying the photos says:

"This is called the Mushballoon because it is shaped like a mushroom. The Mushballoons are the centerpiece of the Space of Planets in Expoland. They are elegant and dynamic in appearance.

The huge cushion of air is suspended by 45 strands of wire. The wires are all brought together and connected through a tube to a winch in the basement. When the winch is wound, the mushroom collapses in 15 minutes. The Mushballoons rest at night and bloom again in the morning. The diameter of one Mushballoon is 30 meters, that of another 20 meters, and that of the three others 15 meters.

Architectural Design: Taneo Oki Architects
Structural Design: Shigeru Aoki Research Office"

I found more information (including some cool diagrams) at:
http://www.tensinet.com/database/viewProject/3839.html

Expo '70 Diagram

This great illustration shows the basic layout of the three towers from Osaka's Expo '70: from left to right, the Tower of Motherhood, the Tower of the Sun, and the Tower of Youth.



Seemingly floating through the top of the Tower of the Sun is the space frame that served as a roof for the central plaza of Expo '70. The site is now an empty field with just the Tower of the Sun.

The World's Fair Podcast, Episode 13: John's Japan Expo Legacy Trip

In episode 13, John McGregor talks about his recent trip to Japan where he visited several expo legacy sites including Osaka's Expo 70 (shown above).

Links:
Australian Memorial Hall in Yokkaichi
Expo 70 on ExpoMuseum.com
Expo 75 on ExpoMuseum.com
Expo 85 on ExpoMuseum.com
Expo 2005 on ExpoMuseum.com

Expo 70 Commemorative Organization
Expo 90 Foundation

Foundation Expo '88's Facebook Page

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Expo 70

When I was much younger and first learning about the history of world's fairs, two really stood out among the rest for me.

Naturally, the 1939-'40 New York World's Fair had lots to interest a high school student interested in architecture and design. I'd still say, today, that if I could go back in time and visit any world's fair, it would be this one.

However, Expo 70 in Osaka is a really close second place. Later, in architecture school, I'd learn about the Japanese Metabolist movement in architecture and Kenzo Tange, the grandfather of modern architecture in Japan and the designer of the Expo 70 site.

Currently, the site is a park with some of the artifacts of the expo, particularly the enigmatic, iconic Tower of the Sun as well as the amusement zone, Expoland.

City Participation at Expo 2010

China Economic Net published an article today entitled "Cities to strut their stuff at World Expo" announcing that cities will have the opportunity to participate in Expo 2010.

I think this might be an excellent opportunity for San Francisco given its sister city relationship with Shanghai. I've previously created a web site (SFPavilion.com) that proposed something similar.

At Expo 70 in Osaka, San Francisco hosted a pavilion as a result of its sister city relationship with Osaka.