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78-558: World Expo 88 , also known as Expo 88 , was a specialised Expo held in Brisbane , the state capital of Queensland , Australia , during a six-month period between Saturday, 30 April 1988 and Sunday, 30 October 1988, inclusive. The theme of the Expo was "Leisure in the Age of Technology", and the mascot for the Expo was an Australian platypus named Expo Oz. The A$ 625 million fair was the largest event of
156-529: A universal exhibition or an expo , is a large global exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specific site for a period of time, typically between three and six months. The term "world's fair" is commonly used in the United States, while the French term, Exposition universelle ("universal exhibition" )
234-446: A community day of celebration on 10 May. It featured entertainment from the Expo, fireworks, interpretive displays and themed walks , and a Suncorp Spirit of Expo Staff Breakfast, also attended by then Lord Mayor of Brisbane Sallyanne Atkinson , and Expo Chair and CEO Sir Llewellyn Edwards . 2013 saw commemorative activities which included a special retrospective exhibition on World Expo 88 entitled "Light Fantastic: Expo 88 Rewired",
312-471: A former Major League Baseball team, was named for the 1967 fair). From World Expo 88 in Brisbane onwards, countries started to use expositions as a platform to improve their national image through their pavilions. Finland, Japan, Canada, France, and Spain are cases in point. A major study by Tjaco Walvis called "Expo 2000 Hanover in Numbers" showed that improving national image was the main goal for 73% of
390-622: A geographical block to share space (i.e. Plaza of the Americas at Seville '92). In the 21st century the BIE has moved to sanction World Expos every five years; following the numerous expos of the 1980s and 1990s, some see this as a means to cut down potential expenditure by participating nations. The move was also seen by some as an attempt to avoid conflicting with the Summer Olympics . World Expos are restricted to every five years, with Specialized Expos in
468-614: A non-government not-for-profit commemorative entity for the Exposition was launched, named Foundation Expo '88. The Foundation based its activities at the Nepalese Peace Pagoda from the Expo, including a weekly Guided Tours program "Pagoda on Sundays", and hosting at the Pagoda first level a commemorative museum display of memorabilia from Expo, which is still maintained to this day. For the 10th Anniversary of Foundation Expo '88 in 2014,
546-588: A northern backwater into Australia's "most progressive state". The Commissioner General for World Expo 88 was Sir Edward Williams (who was also the Chairman for the also very successful 1982 Commonwealth Games). The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, the former State Government Minister Sir Llewellyn Edwards , was appointed in February 1984. The General Manager was Bob Miniken and the Entertainment Director
624-444: A precise theme—such as "Green Desert, Better Environment" ( International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha Qatar ), "Growing Green Cities" ( Floriade 2022 ), or "Building a Beautiful Home Featuring Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature" ( Expo 2019 ). The purpose of these exhibitions is to foster cooperation and the sharing of knowledge and solutions between countries, horticultural producers and agricultural industries by addressing
702-538: A special family fun day at the former Expo 88 site, Southbank Parklands, where a special Plaque was also unveiled. The Brisbane City Council arranged several initiatives to as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations. A special closing event ceremony was held at the Caboolture Historical Village, where the restored Ken Done Australia Pavilion Signs completely restored were unveiled on 28 October 2018. World Expo A world's fair , also known as
780-569: A typical universal exposition: national pavilions and exhibits concerning technology and/or the future, along with more typical amusement park rides. Meanwhile, several of the 1964 attractions that were relocated to Disneyland have been duplicated at the Walt Disney World Resort . Occasionally other mementos of the fairs remain. In the New York City Subway system, signs directing people to Flushing Meadows–Corona Park remain from
858-505: A wide variety of international theatre, opera, and classical music at the adjoining (separate ticket admission) World Expo on Stage program at the Queensland Performing Arts Complex . The exposition averaged 100,000 visitors a day, with highest day of attendance being 184,000 visitors on 29 October 1988, the last day before the closing ceremony. Network Ten was the official television broadcast partner for Expo 88. At
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#1732868693134936-593: A year after the Expo closed its doors. The site of World Expo Park was re-developed into the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre . The Queensland Pavilion was purchased by the Gateway Baptist Church, and now stands on their Mackenzie premises. The Victorian Pavilion was purchased privately and moved to 77 Shore St West, Cleveland , where it is known as Redland Trade Centre. On 30 April 2004, sixteen years after World Expo 88's official opening,
1014-537: Is a prominent feature of the Brisbane skyline which was constructed specially for World Expo 88 . The 88 m landmark was earmarked for relocation to Tokyo Disneyland (following the completion of Expo '88). However, hairdresser Stefan Ackerie stepped in and purchased the Skyneedle, which was then relocated to the Stefan HQ at South Brisbane . After purchase, Stefan added his firm's signature rainbow rings logo to
1092-617: Is also the native floral emblem of Cairns. In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, Expo 88 was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a "Defining Moment". Celebrations for the 20th anniversary were held at South Bank Parklands during May 2008. Celebrations included a charity dinner on 9 May at the Great Hall of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, and
1170-597: Is now over, Expo '88 has come to a close.....Thank you for all that have contributed and may the light of World Expo 88 never really fade." . A massive fireworks display, the longest in Australia at the time, soon followed, with a burning icon of the World Expo 88 sun sails logo set alight on the Brisbane River. After the end of World Expo 88, various contingency plans were mooted as to possible future developments. One proposal
1248-600: Is used in most of Europe and Asia; other terms include World Expo or Specialised Expo , with the word expo used for various types of exhibitions since at least 1958. Since the adoption of the 1928 Convention Relating to International Exhibitions, the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions has served as an international sanctioning body for international exhibitions; four types of international exhibition are organised under its auspices: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos (regulated by
1326-641: The 1964 New York World's Fair (which was held over into 1965) were moved to Disneyland after the closing of the Fair. Many of the rides, including " It's a Small World ", and " Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln ", as well as the building that housed the Carousel of Progress are still in operation. The concept of a permanent world's fair came to fruition with the Disney Epcot theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort , near Orlando, Florida . Epcot has many characteristics of
1404-571: The 1988 Bicentennial celebrations of the arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney Harbour. Expo 88 attracted more than 15,760,000 visitors who bought tickets worth A$ 175 million. The event achieved both its economic aims and very good attendances, was successfully used to promote Queensland as a tourist destination and it spurred a major re-development at the South Brisbane site. The core feature of
1482-615: The 2032 Summer Olympics host city . Brisbane, under Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen , then developed Maccomick's earlier proposal to host an international-scale exposition, however at no cost to the Australian taxpayer, a world's first 'free enterprise' World Exposition, which the Federal Government rubber stamped. With federal representation, at the December 1983 Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) General Assembly, Brisbane won
1560-712: The Eiffel Tower , built for the Exposition Universelle (1889) . Although it is now the most recognized symbol of its host city Paris , there were contemporary critics opposed to its construction, and demands for it to be dismantled after the fair's conclusion. Other structures that remain from these fairs: Some world's fair sites became (or reverted to) parks incorporating some of the expo elements, such as: Some pavilions have been transported overseas intact: The Brussels Expo '58 relocated many pavilions within Belgium :
1638-699: The International Association of Horticultural Producers ), and the Milan Triennial . Astana , Kazakhstan , held the most recent Specialised Expo in 2017 while Dubai , United Arab Emirates , hosted World Expo 2020 (which was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic ) and Doha , Qatar hosted Horticultural Expo in 2023 . In 1791, Prague organized the first World's Fair in Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic ). The first industrial exhibition
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#17328686931341716-625: The Kingdom of Thailand Pavilion, amongst others. The Australia Pavilion and Queensland Pavilion, side by side, were also custom-made, with the exterior of the Australia Pavilion notably in the shape and colours of Uluru (Ayers Rock). The Queensland Pavilion was designed by Robin Gibson. As well as the popular platypus mascot Expo Oz, designed by Disney's Imagineering Division, there were several themed initiatives that promoted World Expo 88, most notably
1794-600: The South Bank of the Brisbane River , opposite the city's central business district . For many years this mainly industrial area had been largely derelict. Stanley Street was permanently excised between Melbourne Street and Vulture Street while Grey Street was reinstated after the showground was demolished. The creation of Expo, along with the recent construction of the Queensland Cultural Centre , helped to revive
1872-591: The Summer Olympic Games . Sydney and Melbourne both made representations to the Federal Government for matching dollar for dollar funding for a Universal Exposition in the 1988 bicentennial year, however, citing the costs of the new Parliament House in Canberra, also to be opened in the same year, these proposals were knocked back. But 12 years later the 2000 Summer Olympics were held in Sydney, and Brisbane will be
1950-765: The United States , the Soviet Union (last representation at a World Exposition), France , West Germany (also last representation at a World Exposition), the United Kingdom , Canada , Spain and Greece , as well as major Asian countries such as Singapore , Thailand , Nepal , Pakistan , China , Japan , Sri Lanka , South Korea , Indonesia , and the Philippines , and amongst others. Close neighbouring countries, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea were also represented. State-level and multi-lateral organisations included
2028-556: The World Expo Park amusement park at the same location. Although originally intended to be a permanent feature, the park remained open for only one year after Expo had closed. The fair was open daily from 10am to 10pm. The Expo sunsails and the Expo tower Night Companion can be seen clearly here, as well as the monorail. Some of the rides of the World Expo Park can be seen in the background. The 'cubistic flotilla' can be seen in
2106-457: The telephone were first presented during this era. This era set the basic character of the world fair. The 1939–1940 New York World's Fair , and those that followed, took a different approach, one less focused on technology and aimed more at cultural themes and social progress. For instance, the theme of the 1939 fair was "Building the World of Tomorrow"; at the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair , it
2184-648: The "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations" was held in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London , United Kingdom. The Great Exhibition , as it is often called, was an idea of Prince Albert , Queen Victoria 's husband, and is usually considered to be the first international exhibition of manufactured products. It influenced the development of several aspects of society, including art-and-design education, international trade and relations, and tourism. This expo
2262-463: The 1964–1965 event. In the Montreal Metro subway at least one tile artwork of its theme, "Man and His World", remains. Also, a seemingly endless supply of souvenir items from fair visits can be found, and in the United States, at least, often turn up at garage or estate sales. Many fairs and expos produced postage stamps and commemorative coins . The Skyneedle, Brisbane The Skyneedle
2340-543: The Dutch economy. It also identified several key success factors for world-exposition pavilions in general. At present there are two types of international exhibition: World Expos (formally known as International Registered Exhibitions) and Specialised Expos (formally known as International Recognised Exhibitions). World Expos, previously known as universal expositions, are the biggest category events. At World Expos, participants generally build their own pavilions. They are therefore
2418-534: The Expo also switched channel frequencies in September (from channel 0 to channel 10) in line with the other state channels. The most expensive pavilion was Japan (A$ 26 million), followed by the Queensland Pavilion (A$ 20 million) and the Australia Pavilion (A$ 18 million). The largest Pavilions were also Queensland, followed by Australia then Japan. High-definition television received its Australian premiere at
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2496-471: The Expo site as well as souvenirs, and a costume Expo Oz could be seen as part of the daily parades, shows, and other variety performances. Over 500 items of souvenir memorabilia were made using Expo Oz's image. Expo Oz also featured in extensive international tours in the lead-up to the Expo, to Europe, the US and Japan. The theme song of the Expo, 'Together We'll Show the World!' by Frank Millward and Carol Lloyd ,
2574-428: The Expo's two interchangeable brands (as noted above): one, a boomerang-styled '88' on a wire frame globe, and the colourful sunsails logo, which superimposed aspects of the Expo's entertainment on a relief of one of the Expo's popular sun sails (designed by Ken Cato, of Cato Purnell Partners). There was also a new weekly theme which allowed special-interest groups to entertain. The logos were used extensively throughout
2652-509: The Exposition on the former site is the Nepalese Peace Pagoda , part of the Nepalese representation, a traditional three-storey handmade wooden replica of a Pagoda in Kathmandu. The popular boardwalk eateries at the southern end of the Expo 88 site were replaced by River Quay Green and modern restaurants in 2011. Two of the most popular performing arts venues from World Expo 88 took on a new form at
2730-557: The Foundation was re-branded into one new entity "Celebrate 88!". The Golden Penda tree ( Xanthostemon chrysanthus ) was selected as the theme plant for Expo 88. Cuttings of the tree, which is native to north Queensland, were taken from a superior form from a garden in Brisbane and planted in flower in Brisbane to create a 'Sea of Gold'. In late autumn, the tree can still be seen in flower in gardens and lining streets across Brisbane. The tree
2808-750: The Japan Pavilion, and the text-based Internet at the Swiss Pavilion. At the University pavilion the world's longest lab experiment was on display. The pitch drop experiment , which features tar pitch slowly dripping through a funnel at a rate of nine drops in 81 years, actually made an unseen drop while on display. The most popular pavilion was New Zealand with its animated Footrot Flats show and glow worm cave followed by Australia , with its special effects 'Dreamtime Theatre'; Queensland , with its popular 180-metre long people mover ride through Queensland of
2886-613: The Japanese Government Pavilion was gifted to the City of Brisbane at the end of the Expo and was re-located to the Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens . The colourful, large Australia Pavilion letters, designed by Australian artist Ken Done were synonymous with the success of the Expo, and were purchased by Shaftesbury Citizenship Campus at the end of the Expo, for their Burpengary Campus. The end of Expo till 2008
2964-615: The Pacific Lagoon and beside the Brisbane River. The system was able to carry 44,000 passengers per day. Following Expo, one of the trains and some track joined the existing Sea World Monorail System at Sea World on the Gold Coast . The other three trains were bought back by Von Roll and are now running at the German theme park Europa-Park in Rust since 1995. A ticket to the fair allowed entry to
3042-580: The Queensland Teachers Credit Union. NASA and Universal Studios hosted outdoor exhibits, with models of the Space Shuttle and Apollo program , as well as the car KITT from the TV series Knight Rider . Also having its own pavilion was the official Australian TV partner of the Expo, Network Ten , via its Queensland station TVQ, whose news studios were located there for public tours and during
3120-519: The aborigines), Australian soprano Julie Anthony joined the group as the lead vocalist in her stead. During the events of the Expo's closing ceremony, the Night Companion's light beam was stilled. Sir Llewellyn Edwards concluded the Expo with the words "With the Prime Minister, Mr Premier, my Lord Mayor, distinguished guests, and ladies and gentlemen – as the Prime Minister indicated, the carnival
3198-465: The area. Construction was coordinated by Brisbane-based Thiess Contractors Pty Ltd. Around 100 works of sculpture were either commissioned, purchased or borrowed for World Expo 88 at a cost of $ 25 million. Large sun sails were erected over the site to provide shade from the hot Queensland climate. These became an icon of the Expo, becoming an element of Expo's sun-sails logo. Two thousand kilometres of telecommunication wire were laid during construction of
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3276-400: The campus, located on the current Grey Street alongside South Brisbane Station. A Von Roll MkII monorail was constructed for World Expo 88 to take visitors quickly around the Expo site. Costing A$ 12 million, it consisted of 2 stations at either end of the site, 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) of track and 4 nine-carriage trains. The route included going through the Queensland Pavilion, across
3354-603: The city today, most notably Gidon Graetz 's work Mirage in the Brisbane Arcade and American sculptor Jon Barlow Hudson 's work Morning Star II located in the City Botanic Gardens . A sectional model or maquette of Jon Barlow Hudson's artwork Paradigm is on display outside State Library of Queensland . One can view and take part in a Heritage Walk of some of the major works at the World Expo 88 Art Heritage trail at Celebrate 88. The Japan Pond and Garden from
3432-568: The closing ceremony of World Expo 88 at the River Stage, a concert showcased all the Expo's entertainers singing and dancing. The concert finished up with the Australian pop-folk band, The Seekers , singing one of their songs " The Carnival Is Over " at the very end of the celebrations, in what has become an Australian tradition. As Judith Durham refused perform for the Expo '88 Closing Ceremony celebrations (due to her sentiments of what happened to
3510-673: The conclusion of the Expo as Riverstage (at the new venue in the City Botanic Gardens ), and the Courier Mail Piazza (formerly called the Suncorp Piazza) at the South Bank Parklands . These two outdoor performing arts venues today welcome visitors to a variety of performing arts genres. The Skyneedle (or "Night Companion") is 88 m (289 ft)-high and beams light skywards with a visibility of more than 60 km (37 mi) during special events. The Skyneedle, which
3588-566: The countries participating in Expo 2000 . Pavilions became a kind of advertising campaign, and the Expo served as a vehicle for "nation branding". According to branding expert Wally Olins , Spain used Expo '92 and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona in the same year to underscore its new position as a modern and democratic country and to show itself as a prominent member of the European Union and
3666-460: The country had ever hosted. Sixteen pieces were commissioned for the event, while others were on loan. Also the 88-strong white fibreglass 'Human Factor' sculpture series which captured the whimsy of persons in day-to-day life, were also put up for private sale, with many of them being purchased for shopping centres and arcades. Some of the works that were for sale have been purchased by the Brisbane City Council and are on display at various places in
3744-408: The early 70s. It occurred to Maccormick that an exposition would be an ideal catalyst for such a redevelopment, and he later hosted meetings with prominent Queensland business persons and government representatives to discuss the idea. With the Australian Bicentenary looming in 1988, other Australian capitals sought means by which to celebrate the event, including hosting of a Universal Exposition or
3822-494: The fault was most likely caused by bird droppings. Ackerie has stated that it will be restored to its former glory. On 5 November 2006, Ackerie revealed that the Skyneedle will be technologically overhauled with the additional feature of a sound system. On 14 March 2009, the top 22-metre section of the Skyneedle was removed. Stefan announced that the section was being rebuilt with new laser technology. The Skyneedle, with its new technology, made its debut on Thursday 23 April 2009 but
3900-413: The foreground. World Expo 88 was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on Saturday, 30 April 1988 to much fanfare. The fair attracted more than 18 million visitors, including staff and VIPs, more than double the predicted 7.8 million, and was considered a turning point in the history of Brisbane, which had recently successfully hosted the 1982 Commonwealth Games . With Expo 88 Queensland had transformed itself from
3978-502: The global community. At Expo 2000 Hanover, countries created their own architectural pavilions, investing, on average, €12 million each. Given these costs, governments are sometimes hesitant to participate, because the benefits may not justify the costs. However, while the effects are difficult to measure, an independent study for the Dutch pavilion at Expo 2000 estimated that the pavilion (which cost around €35 million) generated around €350 million of potential revenues for
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#17328686931344056-598: The host committee and participants because the architectural fees are lower and they only have to customize pavilion space provided free of charge from the Organiser, usually with the prefabricated structure already completed. Countries then have the option of "adding" their own colours, design etc. to the outside of the prefabricated structure and filling in the inside with their own content. Horticultural Expos (formally known as A1 International Horticultural Exhibitions) are co-regulated by International Association of Horticultural Producers . Like Specialised Expos are organized in
4134-445: The in-between years. Specialized Expos (formally known as International Recognized Exhibitions) are usually united by a precise theme—such as "Future Energy" ( Expo 2017 Astana ), "The Living Ocean and Coast" ( Expo 2012 Yeosu ), or "Leisure in the Age of Technology" ( Brisbane , Expo '88 ). Such themes are more specific than the wider scope of world expositions. Specialized Expos are usually smaller in scale and cheaper to run for
4212-442: The letters could be viewed along the Bruce Highway near Burpengary as one approached Brisbane City, a reminder of their successful role at World Expo 88. In 2018, the letters were restored and placed at the Caboolture Historical Village. World Expo Park , the Expo's theme park located adjacent to the Expo site, was intended to be a permanent legacy of the Expo at its conclusion. Citing lack of patronage, however, it closed down just
4290-634: The most extravagant and most expensive expos. Their duration may be between six weeks and six months. Since 1995, the interval between two World Expos has been at least five years. World Expo 2015 was held in Milan, Italy, from 1 May to 31 October 2015. Specialised Expos are smaller in scope and investments and generally shorter in duration; between three weeks and three months. Previously, these Expos were called Special Exhibitions or International Specialized Exhibitions but these terms are no longer used officially. Their total surface area must not exceed 25 hectares (62 acres) and organizers must build pavilions for
4368-401: The paramount issues of healthy lifestyles, green economies, sustainable living, education and innovation. List of official world expositions (Universal and International/Specialised/Horticultural) according to the Bureau International des Expositions . Most of the structures are temporary and are dismantled after the fair closes, except for landmark towers. By far the most famous of these is
4446-447: The participating states, free of rent, charges, taxes and expenses. The largest country pavilions may not exceed 1,000 m ( 1 ⁄ 4 acre). Only one Specialised Expo can be held between two World Expos. An additional two types of international exhibition may be recognized by the BIE: horticultural exhibitions, which are joint BIE and AIPH-sanctioned 'garden' fairs in which participants present gardens and garden pavilions; and
4524-426: The pavilion of Jacques Chocolats moved to the town of Diest to house the new town swimming pool. Another pavilion was relocated to Willebroek and has been used as dance hall Carré ever since. One smaller pavilion still stands on the boulevard towards the Atomium : the restaurant "Salon 58" in the pavilion of Comptoir Tuilier. Many exhibitions and rides created by Walt Disney and his WED Enterprises company for
4602-608: The popular evening fireworks and large-scale laser show, set to music, each Expo evening at 10 pm. Big international and Australian names were a feature at World Expo 88. Perennial Australian favourites such as Icehouse , Little River Band , Mental as Anything , The Cockroaches , Joe Camilleri and the Black Sorrows , John Farnham , Julie Anthony , Simon Gallaher , Wickety Wak and Jon English , were regular performers, as well as concerts by international artists such as Jerry Harrison (of Talking Heads ), Julio Iglesias , John Denver , Donny Osmond , Cher , Phyllis Diller , and
4680-406: The present and the future; Japan with its Japan Pond and Garden and hi-tech displays; Switzerland , with its artificial snow ski slope and cable car ride; and Nepal , with its 3-level hand-crafted Nepalese Peace Pagoda . For the most part, pavilions were housed in pre-fabricated units constructed by the expo authority, with the exception of the Nepalese Peace Pagoda , of Nepal , and aspects of
4758-488: The right to hold the 1988 World Exposition, as a specialised international exposition. Immediately, the Brisbane Exposition and South Bank Redevelopment Authority was formed with Sir Llewellyn Edwards , State Deputy Premier, at the helm. Maccormick later was appointed as Joint Chief Architect of the Expo, under the architectural firm Bligh Maccormick 88. World Expo 88 occupied a mixed usage 40-hectare (98.8 acres) resumed (acquired/taken, as in "Eminent Domain") parcel of land on
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#17328686931344836-456: The semi-regular Milan Triennial (not always held every third year) art and design exhibition, held in Milan, Italy , with the BIE granting official international exhibition status to 14 editions of the Triennale between 1996 and 2016. World Expos (formally known as International Registered Exhibitions) encompass universal themes that affect the full gamut of human experience, and international and corporate participants are required to adhere to
4914-421: The site were the international pavilions. Many of the exposition's sculptures and buildings were retained by various entities around the state and are still in use or on display today. The first thoughts of a world expo for Brisbane began soon after James Maccormick , architect for the Australia Pavilion at Expo '67 , Expo '70 and Expo '74 , was commissioned to do an urban renewal study for Kangaroo Point in
4992-413: The site. A A$ 4.5 million 88-metre (289.37911 feet) symbolic tower for the Expo was constructed, called The Night Companion (also known as "The Skyneedle"), which featured a gold and copper dome black spire top, with a xenon laser beam eye that scanned the Brisbane horizons each Expo evening up to 60 kilometres (37 mi) away. The main entry gate was the Melbourne Street gate at the northern end of
5070-419: The six Australian states, the United Nations , the European Union , Vatican City , three American states ( Hawaii , California and Alaska ), one Japanese prefecture (sister state of Queensland, Saitama Prefecture ), and one Japanese city (Brisbane's sister city Kobe City). Corporate pavilions included IBM , Ford , Fujitsu , Queensland Newspapers , Australia Post , Cadbury Chocolate , Suncorp , and
5148-432: The theme in their representations. Registered expositions are held every 5 years because they are more expensive as they require total design of pavilion buildings from the ground up. As a result, nations compete for the most outstanding or memorable structure—for example Japan, France, Morocco, and Spain at Expo '92 . Sometimes prefabricated structures are used to minimize costs for developing countries, or for countries from
5226-464: The top of the tower. The Skyneedle's light, which is capable of emitting a beam of light that may be seen 60 kilometres (37 mi) away, is rarely seen except on special occasions, because of safety concerns for flight paths around Brisbane Airport . On 4 November 2006, the Skyneedle caught fire due to an electrical fault, this incident being the second of its kind after a similar fire had broken out in 1988. Subsequent investigations have found that
5304-886: The word Australia in an Australia Pavilion Entrance set, and Exit set, with the entrance set a stack of nine, 3x3, some 2.1 metres high each, and the exit set, in a line of nine letters, some 5.6 metres high each. These letters became a very popular photo opportunity for the Expo, and the theme was also found on the brightly coloured Australia Pavilion uniforms also. 5 heritage-listed buildings in South Brisbane were refurbished and repurposed for Expo 88. They were retained after its closure and can still be seen today: Plough Inn, Ship Inn, Central House, Collin's Place Spaghetti House, and South Brisbane Municipal Library. The Expo House building on Sidon Street, which housed 'Club 88' and administrative offices, has been incorporated into today's Griffith University South Bank Campus. The $ 38 million entertainment program featured acts from all over Australia and
5382-412: The world at a variety of custom-made performance venues on the World Expo 88 site from the 10,000-seat spectacular open-air River Stage (for national day events, opening and closing ceremonies and large-scale events), the 850-seat piazza for circus, marching band, acrobatics, magic and mime, and the smaller-scale amphitheatre for national day ceremonies and laser shows. The River Stage was also the venue for
5460-560: The years from 1850 to 1938. In these years, world expositions were largely focused on trade and displayed technological advances and inventions. World expositions were platforms for state-of-the-art science and technology from around the world. The world expositions of 1851 London , 1853 New York , 1862 London , 1876 Philadelphia , Paris 1878 , 1888 Barcelona , 1889 Paris , 1891 Prague , 1893 Chicago , 1897 Brussels , 1900 Paris , 1904 St. Louis , 1915 San Francisco , and 1933–1934 Chicago were notable in this respect. Inventions such as
5538-594: Was Ric Birch (who would soon become one of the greatest experts in Olympic ceremonies and large-scale events in the world). Landscaping at the site was done by Brisbane landscape architect Lawrie Smith . The landscaping was based on nine precincts and used more than 150,000 temperate and tropical plants. Despite late entrants into the Exposition due to domestic political measures, World Expo 88 attracted some 100 pavilions, from 52 governments, of which 36 were from international-level, and numerous corporate participants. Major western and European nations were represented such as
5616-538: Was "Peace Through Understanding"; at the 1967 International and Universal Exposition in Montreal, it was "Man and His World". These fairs encouraged effective intercultural communication along with sharing of technological innovation. The 1967 International and Universal Exposition in Montreal was promoted under the name Expo 67 . Event organizers retired the term world's fair in favor of Expo (the Montreal Expos ,
5694-403: Was also an important rallying point in promoting the Expo in the lead-up to and during phases of the fair, and captured a sense of the excitement of the Expo. The colourful theme for the Australia Pavilion, which became synonymous with the hosting of the Expo with Australia as host nation, was designed by prominent Australian artist Ken Done , and featured huge playful colourful letters making up
5772-514: Was for a second central business district area to be developed, however this proposal was rejected. A second proposal, incorporating extensive parklands, boutique retail, as well as low-medium residential development, was later accepted, and four years after the closure of World Expo 88, the site was reopened as South Bank Parklands , which is managed by the South Bank Corporation , a State Government corporation. The only remaining trace of
5850-437: Was officially activated on Friday 1 May by Stefan and Channel Nine weatherman Garry Youngberry on the 6pm news. The new lightshow includes an RGB LED display strip from Italy and a powerful set of German-made spotlights. As of 2019 however, the Skyneedle's light system has once again stalled. In April 2015 Ackerie announced that he was selling the Skyneedle and the surrounding land to Pradella Group who planned to incorporate
5928-714: Was on the occasion of the coronation of Leopold II as king of Bohemia . The exhibition was held in the Clementinum , and celebrated the considerable sophistication of manufacturing methods in the Czech lands during that time period. France had a tradition of national exhibitions , which culminated with the French Industrial Exposition of 1844 held in Paris . This fair was followed by other national exhibitions in Europe. In 1851,
6006-493: Was originally built for World Expo 88, was to be relocated to Tokyo Disneyland after the Expo. Hairdresser and local celebrity Stefan bought the rights and moved it 500 m (1,600 ft) from its original location at South Bank to his corporate headquarters in South Brisbane, where it remains a local landmark. During World Expo 88, the park was filled with 90 sculptures , one of the largest and most prestigious displays
6084-418: Was the precedent for the many international exhibitions, later called World Expos , that have continued to be held to the present time. The character of world fairs, or expositions, has evolved since the first one in 1851. Three eras can be distinguished: the era of industrialization, the era of cultural exchange, and the era of nation branding. The first era, the era of "industrialization", roughly covered
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