Following the 50th anniversary of ‘Expo 58’ I wondered: why is there no longer a world fair? When was the last world expo? Why has the world stopped?
And more importantly: why did Belgium destroy almost everything with the exception of the Atomium and the Japanese Tower?
Answer
There are still world exhibitions, next week one will start in Saragossa, Spain. They may be getting less attention than they used to.
It is undoubtedly those responsible for urban planning who decided, in consultation, that some buildings that had a function could remain standing. Examples: the Japanese tower, I think also the Chinese pavilion (both are now part of the Royal Museums of Art and History, www.kmkg.be), but also the American theater, for example, which the VRT still uses today. And the Atomium was the symbol of ‘Expo 58’, but until the 1970s there was a lot of speculation about whether or not it was going to be demolished.
Answered by
William De Vos
Communication Language and Literature Cultural History
Rue Vautier 29 1000 Brussels
http://www.naturalsciences.be
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