World's fair

World's Fair - Generic name for various large expositions held since the mid 1800s. The official organizing body is the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE)

There are three categories of expositions as sanctioned by the BIE, and as well as that, countries can hold their own 'fair', 'exposition', 'exhibition', without BIE endorsement.

Of the BIE approved fairs, there are 'universal', 'international' and 'specialized', ephemeral in nature, lasting from between 3 to 6 months in duration. Specialized and international are similar in that the host organization provides the rental space to participating countries, as well as the building itself, which is usually pre-fabricated. Countries then have the option of 'adding' their own colours, design etc. to the outside of the pre-fabricated structure and filling in the inside with their own content. One example of this is China, which invariably has chosen to add a Chinese archway in the front of their pre-fabricated pavilions to symbolize their nation (expo'88, expo'92, expo'93).

With certain exceptions, the majority of the structures are temporary, being dismantled at the end of the expo. Some outstanding exceptions are the remainders from Expo'29 Seville, where the 'Plaza de Espana' forms part of a large park and forecourt, and many of the pavilions have become offices for Consulate-Generals and the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago housed in the last remaining building of the 1893 World Columbian Exposition. Some expo sites become parks incorporating some of the expo elements (Brisbane'88, Seville'92, Taejon'93) - some pavilions get moved overseas, lock, stock & barrel, (Montreal's USSR Pavilion is now in Moscow).

Specialized and international expositions are usually smaller in scale and cheaper to run for the host committee and participating nations because the (1) architectural fees are less and (2) they only have to rent the space from the host committee, usually with the pre-fabricated structure already completed. Some say this leads to better creative content as more money can be spent in this area.

Potential host nations can apply to the BIE to hold a BIE-sanctioned Expo to celebrate some special event i.e. bicentenary, (in Australia's case - 1988 - bicentenary of European settlement 1788-1988, Seville'92 - fifth centenary of the European discovery of the Americas, and Taejon'93 - centenary of the first Korean participation at an Expo, the 1893 Columbian Exposition, Chicago, USA).

International Garden Expositions, such as held in Osaka 1990 and Kunming, China, 1999, usually fall under the 'specialized' exposition category.

International expositions are usually united by a common theme - such as 'Leisure in the Age of Technology' (Brisbane'88), and Universal Expositions are meant to be broader still, encompassing universal themes that affect the full gamut of human experience, usually at a unique period of time for mankind.

Universal expositions are usually held less frequently than specialized or international expositions because they are more expensive and require total design of the pavilion building from the ground up. Architectural fees alone can go through the roof! However, some of the most beautiful expos have been universal as we see nations competing for the most outstanding or memorable structure - recent examples include Japan, France, Morocco & Spain at Expo'92. Recent Universal Expositions are Brussels '58, Montreal '67, Osaka '70, and Seville '92. Hannover 2000 was also categorized as a universal expo. Sometimes pre-fabricated structures are also used to minimize costs for developing countries or for countries from a geographical block to share space (i.e. Plaza of the Americas at Seville'92).

With the 80s and 90s being overflowing with expos back to back, some see the BIE's moves to only sanction expos every 5 years, starting with the 21st century, as a means to cut down potential expenditure by participating nations. Indeed, quite remarkably, it is believed Australia chose not to participate in Expo'98 for this reason alone - perhaps Seville was too close and too near in time to justify another representation?

Whether or not the BIE will be successful in regulating expos to only every 5 years or so, we'll have to wait and see...it may well be that Universal expositions will be restricted to every 5 years or so, with international and specialized expositions in the in-between years for countries wishing to celebrate a special event.

First, about BIE expos, there are 3 different classifications that have been used. The first was from 1933 (when the treaty came into effect, even if it was signed in 1928) until 1976. Under that system, there were 3 types of expos. There were General Exposition 1st category - at which each country had to build it's own pavilion, General Exposition 2nd category - at which the pavilions were built by the expo. These two together were the "Universal" expositions. The last type was a specialized exposition, where the expo would build the buildings. These were the international expositions, and basically unlike the universal ones, there was no time limit between them (unless you could the 3 month delay for the same country). However, at some of the specialized expos, some countries did indeed build their own pavilions (Liege 1939 comes to mind). And another little know fact is that Seattle 1962 was actually a "universal" exposition (General Exposition 2nd category) in the same category as Paris 1937 and New York 1939 (at both of which countries should not have been allowed to build their own pavilions).

The second phase of categories was with the 1972 protocol - which came in to force after Expo'75. Under that system there were just 2 types, Universal and International (or specialized) - where at a universal expo each country could build it's own pavilion, but buildings could be provided for poorer countries. At an international expo, the expo built the pavilions. Also, the theme at a universal expo was more large or open. Only Expo'92 in Seville and Expo 2000 have been held in this category.

The new categories, the 1988 protocol, came into in the last couple of years. There are 2 types - registered and recognized. The registered expos are to be every 5 years starting in 2010 (Expo 2005 was registered under the 1972 protocol, but decided to follow the new system anyway). It is up to each expo if they will let each country build it's own pavilion or not, but the BIE has let it be known that they wish that only the expos in the "10 years" (2010, 2020 etc...) have countries building their own pavilions and the ones in the "5s" that the expo should build the buildings. In between these registered expos, there will be one recognized expo - which can be held for only 3 months and be no bigger then 25ha. Expo 2004 (if it's held) will be the first of this type. Both Genova 1992 and Taejon 1993 were held as "test runs" for this type.

TIMELINE

1851 :: London, England - Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations -- Crystal Palace

1853 :: New York, New York

1853 :: Dublin, Ireland

1855 :: Paris, France - Exposition Universelle

1862 :: London, England

1867 :: Paris, France

1873 :: Vienna, Austria - Weltausstellung Wien 1873

1874 :: Dublin, Ireland

1876 :: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Centennial Exposition

1878 :: Paris, France

1884 :: New Orleans, Louisiana