I was fortunate to attend the World Expo in Milan, Italy this past summer. I highly recommend this experience, especially for architects. Where else can you see cutting edge architecture from around the world in one place?
World Expos occur every five years. Shanghai hosted Expo 2010 and Dubai will be the future host of Expo 2020. Participating countries may design and construct a pavilion to hold themed country displays. The architecture of each pavilion is usually cutting edge modern and sometimes depicts cultural influences. For instance, the Turkey pavilion used mosaic tiles in a traditional way in a modern garden. The Ecuador pavilion used colored chains hanging like a textured woven cloth in a new innovative façade application. These structures are temporary, so experimentation is encouraged. Great space happens with the juxtaposition of different materials, shapes and uses.
In this case, a picture definitely says a thousand words – a thousand great spaces.