THE NETHERLANDS PAVILION AT EXPO 67:

THE ARCHITECTURE OF MISREPRESENTATION

Adriana Mogosanu 260327734

ARCH 355: Architectural History 4 March 27th, 2015

Figure 1 : Opland Cartoon Mural in the Netherlands Pavi lion Source: Dixon, Meredith. Expo '67 Slide Collection. http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/expo-67/slides/LARGE/(3D)_35_Netherlands_CartoonMural.jpg.

1 Montreals 1967 Expo made explicit the crossing into the future of

mankind, exploring human achievements in a historical context. Expo theme

"Man and His World" emphasized, much as its predecessors, progress in the

fields of science and technology1. The daring national and thematic pavilions

took the role of an enveloping architecture, generating the microcosm of the

exhibits and setting the stage for projection of national image at an international

stage (Figure 2).

Expo Commissioner Pierre Dupuy

particularly recalls the Netherlands

pavilion, alongside the Japanese one, as

balancing between tradition and the

avant-garde2. A closer look at the content

of the Netherlands exhibit reveals a

recurrent theme: objects of the past

collide with representations of the future,

blurring the boundary between illusion and

reality. The Expo experience becomes

centered on the interaction in the fictitious space of reconciliation between 1 Cities of Culture 2 Dupuy, Pierre. Expo 67 ou la dcouverte de la fiert , 1972. (pays en equilibre entre la tradition et lavant-garde, p.138)

Figure 2: Tomorrow Soars at the Fair Source: Life Magazine Cover, https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitebeard/4556059195/

2 tradition and innovation. In the context of a high caliber international gathering,

national depiction was naturally fueled by a sentiment of pride. Historical

triumphs were juxtaposed and contextualized within the broader scope of

futuristic aspirations. The essay explores issues of authenticity of national

representation, and will investigate the architecture of the Netherlands pavilion

through the lens of its content. The Dutch foreign affairs consul, Jaf Van Alpen,

enunciated the countrys interests quite clearly:

In countless ways, it should be made clear to Expo visitors that the Netherlands is a modern country, where industry plays a leading role.3

4 Klare, Paul. "Nederland klaar voor Wereld Expo 67." May 14, 1966. Figure 3: The Netherlands Pavilion (Pays Bas), located on Ile Ste. Helene Source : Compagnie canadienne de l'Exposition internationale de 1967 http://documents.recitus.qc.ca/content/document-14-les-pavillons-nationaux-de-lle-sainte-hlne

3 Located on le Sainte-Hlne (Figure 3), the pavilion's architecture contrasted

strongly with the old-world charm generally associated with Holland. The Dutch

submission revealed a zealous attempt at exposing Hollands contribution to the

topic of technological development. In particular, the Dutch pavilions imposing

space frame structure addressed the desire to be seen as an industrially

advanced country, dominant over the forces of nature.

One element of the exhibition, a mural by contemporary political

Cartoonist Opland (Figure 1), provides a rare self-critique of the exhibit, and will

serve as a tool for exploring the relationship between the exhibited content, the

Figure 4: The Netherlands Pavilion Source: NCF Expo 67 website http://expo67.ncf.ca/expo_netherlands_p1.html

4 enveloping architecture, and its object of representation. The cartoon addresses

the bias towards a positive self-representation embedded within the narrative of

the pavilion, contextualizing the vitrine presented to Expo visitors. It ridicules

the artificial process of creation of a national image from disparate or

stereotypical elements of culture and criticizes the shortcomings of Dutch

attempts at cultural representation. Oplands caricature of the process of

national image building is mirrored within the content of the pavilion. Satire is

evident in the cartoon but upon further investigation, it also surfaces from the

discordant relationship between object, content and architecture. Architecture

plays a distinct role of mediation between national realities and ambitions: it

serves as creator of a modern image, in relation to the vernacular content of the

pavilion. It masks the disengaging quality of the content, and it reinforces a

narrative of technological advancement that is absent within the exhibit. The

passport to Expo 67 gives access to a highly curated version of national reality,

where the architecture of the pavilion plays a distinct role of mediation between

future aspirations and historical past.

Content, curation and image creation

Representation of national identity rested as much on the pavilions

architecture and its projected exterior appearance, as it did on the carefully

5 curated content of the exhibitions. The Netherlands pavilions prominent

structure meant to support the running concept of technological supremacy

over water. As stressed by the Dutch Foreign Affair Consul, the pavilions

concept stemmed from the fact that "the Netherlands is a country surrounded

by water."4 Indeed, the battle against the water was an essential part of the

countrys development and the Dutch aimed to use it as the driving force of

their exhibition, utilizing this opportunity to showcase their technological

supremacy over the elements. The innovative triodetic structure of the pavilion

departs significantly from the interior exhibition: the contrast between

architecture and content is that of modern versus vernacular, old world realities

inhabiting new technology. Oplands cartoon (Figure 1) serves as a starting

point for examining the process of national image creation, as it contains the

deliberate dissection of elements of cultural representation and their curation

into a work of satire. The mural is busy, striking in its caricature of culture, as

artists, their instruments and vices converge into a comic mess. Opland criticizes

the discourse of cultural representation and dissemination, satirizing the process

through senseless juxtaposition of disparate elements, coalescing of decorative,

frivolous features, and vulgarization of culture into a cataloguing of null content.

Culture is not in the content, but in the enumeration of renowned artists, the 4 Klare, 1966

6 repetition of famous works of art, distilled into stereotypical, recognizable

elements. The classic ionic column is used as a resting place for an ashtray and a

poster holder where one can read the names of famous writers. The idea of

culture, or its portrayal to a foreign audience, is reduced to cataloguing and

stereotyping. The portrayal of national identity for a foreign audience is thus

vulgarized in preparation for what becomes a mass consumption of unintelligible

elements of culture. This amalgamation and enumeration as a means of

manifesting culture, ridiculed in Oplands cartoon, is actually replicated in the

content of the pavilion. The majority of the exhibits catalogue vernacular and

classical traditions, such as displays of embroidery, Leerdam glass, scaled

models of Hollands streets and ports, and a presentation of the politically

prominent House of Orange Nassau5. The resulting exhibit can be described

more readily as a cacophony of national stereotypes, than the intended

compelling odyssey of national progress through technological advancement.

5 Klare, 1966

7 To the unassuming fairgoer, this incongruity, worthy of satire, remains

imperceptible. Lasting impressions were made by the architecture and not

necessarily by the content, as Francis, a 7-year old at the time, recalls.6 The

architecture of the Netherlands Pavilion is successful in creating an image that

diametrically opposes the content of the exhibition, addressing national

6 Francis Interview, 2015

Figure 5: The Netherlands Pavilion Source: NCF Expo 67 Website http://expo67.ncf.ca/expo_netherlands_p6.html

8 aspirations of technological development in a

modern way (Figure 5). In line with the prevailing

mega structure trend of the decade, a predominant

theme at Expo 67,7 architect Eijkelenboom hangs

the space of the Dutch pavilion, roof and walls, from

an immense space frame structure (Figure 6). An

impressive 35 miles of aluminum tubes, in the form

of prefabricated pieces, are directly assembled on

site. 8 The result is a triumph of engineering9, an

intriguing and futuristic structure, with a light, airy

feel. The Dutch Pavilion is frequently mentioned as

a prelude to the groundbreaking work of

Buckminster Fuller and the American Pavilion. The

intricate joints offer the advantage of combining

strength and flexibility of form. Although the Dutch

pavilion made use of a space frame structure, the

7 Dupuy, 1972 8 Canadian Corporation for the 1967 World Exhibition. Expo 67. 9 Lownsbrough, John. The Best Place to Be: Expo 67 and Its Time. Toronto: Penguin Group, 2012.

Figure 6: Triodetic Structure Section showing hanging walls and ceiling Source: (Canadian Corporation for the 1967 World Exhibition 1969)

9 qualities of modularity and flexibility of space are not evident from the volumes

or interior spaces. The final product seems like a fixed space, hanging from an

enclosed delicate structure. The structures capacity to rule over land, covering a

large space flexibly, is still an impressive feat, analogous to the Dutch

exploitation of water through technological prowess. Architecture becomes a

symbol of high technology, supporting Hollands aspiring position as a leader in

the field, a country artificially built on water. In contrast, the interior of the

pavilion contains a variety of disparate expositions merging into a potpourri of

Dutch culture. Fake historicism, displaced content inhabit high technology,

much in the same way the classical column is decorated in Oplands cartoon

mural. The satirical potential of the visual comparison, achievable through

juxtaposition of modern and vernacular remains unrevealed. Emergent

technology is used to create the architecture of the pavilion, while its

antagonistic old world relics, survive in the content of the building.

10 Quality, experience and masking

The experience of the exhibits is completely disjoined from the structural

qualities of the pavilion, with various techniques being used to create an illusory

Dutch landscape for the

visitors. Oplands cartoon

proves to be revealing, as

its exaggeration of style

and scale, aimed at

creation of humor, informs

an analysis of the

experiential quality of the

exhibits themselves. It

offers a stylized

representation of art,

mocking two-dimensional book-culture, in an exaggeratedly scaled cartoon

turned-mural. Physical distortion and exaggeration of scale are also reproduced

at the level of the exhibits, creating a flattened representation of space and a

caricature of the Dutch landscape. In light of such a discordant experiential

quality between interior and exterior space, the architectures role of masking

Figure 7: Opland Cartoon Mural Source: Fotoleren website

http://www.fotoleren.nl/component/bronnenbank/?view=bronnen&start=84640

11 the discrepancy between the miniaturized vernacular interior and the futuristic

exterior becomes apparent.

The cartoon, traditionally of small scale, is blown out of proportion, taking the

extent of a mural, enveloping and creating space. This unexpected exaggeration

as a means of delivering a more poignant punch line successfully contributes

to the comic character of the work. Used in the content of the pavilion, it fails to

portray the theme, Netherlands relationship to water, in an engaging manner, all

the while making apparent the poorly sustained account of technological

advancement,

unassisted by an

immersive, equally

advanced exhibit.

Adjusting scale to

integrate elements

of Hollands

landscape, from

views of landscape

and industry, to urban sights and minuscule details of everyday life is a

technique used throughout the pavilion. Visitors enter an overtly fake space, a

fictional reality in the Gulliverian sense, where the industrial endeavors are

Figure 8: The Netherlands Pavilion Source: Dixon Expo 67 Slide Collection Web site http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/expo-67/slides/LARGE/(3D)_34_Netherlands_AmsterdamHarbour.jpg

12 presented in the form of miniature models (Figure 8). The vibrant exterior

architecture of the pavilion hides a very flat representation of Holland interiorly.

The cork model of the traditional Amsterdam street (Figure 9) offers more a

kitsch, two-dimensional representation as the opportunity to infuse engagement

in the exhibition is lost in the creation of flat and dull content.

The distortion of space and distance is further reinforced through flagrant

artifice: the addition of a phone where visitors could call the Mayor of

Amsterdam and hear a pre-recorded message created a fake sense of proximity

and familiarity. Curiously, in a pavilion aiming to show technological

Figure 9: Model of traditional Dutch house in the streets of Amsterdam Source: Westland Expo 67 Website http://www.westland.net/expo67/map-docs/netherlands.htm

13 advancement, an immersive way of recreating the Dutch streetscape is sacrificed

at the expense of a flattened and miniaturized caricature of Holland.

The triodetic structures

opaque envelope

successfully occludes this

limitation. Despite being

partitioned into three

distinct volumes,

articulated exteriorly, the

pavilion is almost always

opaque, bypassing the

opportunity for filtration

that is allowed by the

structures thin tubular elements (Figures 5 & 12). The US pavilion offers a clear

view of its surroundings, positioning its visitors centrally, at a place of

importance. The Dutch pavilion misses the opportunity to achieve a more

engaging space, through the visual connection between inside and outside

(Figure 10). The envelope segregates the interior of the exhibition from its

surroundings, with the exception of small openings towards the river.

Figure10: Inside the American Pavilion Source: DC Hillier Expo 67 Photo Gallery http://www.dchillier.com/expoextra/

14 A cantilevered volume feigns interaction with the exterior monorail (Figure 11).

The monorail passes underneath the Netherlands pavilion, but fails to interact

with it as successfully as it does with the American pavilion. Francis remembers

riding the blue monorail as one of the highlights of his experience at Expo,

particularly enjoying waving to the crowds around the pavilions10. The

camaraderie achieved through visual connection in a shared experience is less

10 Francis Interview, 2015

Figure11: The Yellow Monorail passes under the Netherlands Pavilion Source: Archives de Montreal Photo Gallery Website http://archivesdemontreal.com/mots-clefs/expo-67/

15 likely to occur under a deeply shaded metal canopy, as is the case in the

Netherlands Pavilion.The architecture masks and supplements for the content,

which is contained in a safe space, where any discrepancies with the exterior

image projected by the pavilion are successfully concealed (Figure 12).

The experiential success of the pavilion is severed by the contents fake

historicism, manifested in altered, miniaturized, or displaced objects. The

architecture of the pavilion asks as a mask, allowing for independence of bland

content from the exterior technologically advanced image, obscuring any

Figure12: The Netherlands Pavilion remains impenetrable to the gaze, even when lit up. Source: Westland Expo 67 Website http://www.westland.net/expo67/map-docs/swanlake.htm

16 inconsistencies. Despite the potential for visibility allowed for by the thin

elements of the triodetic structure, the would-be ironic juxtaposition of

contrasting elements is avoided through a masking envelope. In sum, the

exhibits take on the qualities of the cartoon, to create a miniaturized and flat

depiction of Holland. The Pavilion successfully occludes this contrasting content

by acting as a mask, and limiting interaction with the exterior.

Narrative, Circulation and the Fourth Wall

The overarching narrative of the Netherlands pavilion aims to be a tale of

technological advancement, one that allowed man to conquer water. While this

narrative was sustained by the pavilions architecture, it gradually faded in the

transition from interior to exterior. This failure to produce an intended image is

most directly addressed in the title of Oplands cartoon: The Netherlands are

(sorry) is a country full of culture. The obvious satirical tone of this statement is

a rare Brechtian moment within the exhibit. The climax is the confession of

discrepancy, the recognition of failed attempts at national representation

through techniques worthy of satire, rather than, in the case of the current

exhibition, the advanced technological society Holland claims to be.

The message of the cartoon comes in the form of a confession the revealing of

the intended message, stated ironically. The failure to authentically represent

17 Hollands aspirations within the content of the exhibit is never made apparent. It

is instead successfully mediated by the pavilions architecture, which enforces a

distinct narrative and lends credibility to the exhibits discordant content. The

circulation and interior arrangement of the pavilion simulate a condition of

continuity reinforcing the narrative of Dutch technological supremacy over

water even when this story is not supported by its content or its quality. The

pavilion creates an environment that mediates the fractured narrative between

disparate exhibits, ultimately reinforcing an image of Holland that is true of

national aspirations, but poorly materialized within the exhibits. The running

concept of the countrys relationship to water was developed only superficially in

Figure 13: Plan of the Netherlands Pavilion Source: http://expo67.ncf.ca/floor_plan_netherlands_expo67.html

18 the content of the exhibits. The architectures regrettable lack of interaction with

the water is limited to a large opening of the envelope at the end of the

trajectory, facing the river, as well as a wave basin, with the sound of sloshing

water, placed outside the pavilion. This latter, more technologically advanced

element of the exhibit was actually recycled from the 1958 Brussels Expo11. In

contrast to other less architecturally imposing pavilions, such as the Czech one,

the content of the Netherlands pavilion falls short of producing an engagement

between exhibit and viewer, or a compelling narrative aligned with Hollands

aspirations (Figure14). In many ways the opposite of the Netherlands Pavilion,

the Czech pavilion uses glass and film in innovative ways, creating immersive

audio-visual environments, simulating spaces from images (Figure 15). Culture

and technology are not presented separately, nor are they merely catalogued in

a bland exhibition. The Czech exhibition tells a compelling story, synthesizing an

image of Czech national identity in a creative manner. The popular pavilion was

criticized, however, for its lack of clear circulation, or nonexistant route,

where spectators became jammed along the way 12.

11 Klare 1966 12 Baker, J. (1967) Expo and the future City

19 In contrast, the Netherlands relies on informative films, and physical

models rather dull choices of representation with regards to the futuristic

discourse of the exterior. The cohesion of the story seems to be achieved

through the architectures imposed continuity of movement, mimicking the flow

of water more successfully than the content of the pavilion or its quality. The five

rooms of the pavilion are connected through elevators and escalators, in one

continuous circulation path, with an entrance as input and an exit as output.

(Figure 13)

There is little opportunity for lingering or self-directed exploration, as the whole

Figure 14: the Czech Pavilion s modern and sober faade http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/expo-67/slides/LARGE/(3B)_1_CzechoslovakiaPavilion.jpg

20 circulation follows one line of possible movement. In this highly calculated

progression through space, the visitor

moves fast and forgets, with the

impossibility to look back, as he is

presented with a new scene,

demanding attention at every turn.

Generally, Expo 67 was successful in

integrating visitors in an immersive

experience. Many of the exhibits were

successfully representative of

technological advancements. Francis

recalls Expo as a magic futuristic

city, where everything was

fascinating.13 In contrast, the Netherlands pavilion overtly transforms visitors

into passengers circulating though a space where architectural qualities

supplement a lack of engaging content. A certain degree of cohesiveness is

imposed on disparate elements, their contrasting juxtaposition merged through

the flowing trajectory within the space. The moment of truth that crowns the

cartoon is thus never achieved in the relationship between architecture and 13 Francis Interview, 2015

Figure 15: Film projected on moving cubes, inside the Czechoslovakian Pavilion. Source: http://www.westland.net/expo67/map-docs/cinema.htm

21 content.

Conclusion

Expo 67 brought the world to a spot, creating a rupture in time and space

through imposed propinquity and juxtaposition of traditional, modern and

futuristic elements. Expo was expected to place Montreal on the map of the

world. Instead, the map of the world was placed over Montreal14. An illusory

version of the globe, a microcosm of conflated national representations, Expo

was a place of contrast and a rich source of satirical content. While Oplands

cartoon was produced independently of the architecture of the Dutch pavilion, it

inadvertently predicts the shortcomings in the content and effort to produce a

compelling national image at an international fair. The exhibit has an inherent

satirical potential, as it amalgamates, exaggerates and catalogues elements of

Dutch culture deemed significant at an international level. The effect is further

amplified by the contrast between the content of the interior and the futuristic

space-frame architecture. The split-ended job of the pavilion became to address

its own dissociation from traditional Dutch culture. It housed the vernacular,

while creating an image for the modern. It reconciled historical past with

futuristic aspirations. The architecture thus mitigates discrepancies in national

representation by fashioning a visual identity for the country through its 14 Francis Interview, 2015

22 structure, by moderating the conflict between old and new through occlusion of

the interior space, and finally, by creating the transitional narrative between

vernacular and modern through its circulation. Perhaps this process aimed to

resolve deeper issues, or contemporary anxieties, resulting from the cultural and

spatial rift that Expo undoubtedly caused. As any era of change, people were as

excited about the temporary Expo, as they were apprehensive of that which they

did not understand. Nevertheless, Francis recalls feeling a sense of optimism,

the future looked bright15. The old is not forgotten, as it is presented as a vital

part, a building block for the new. Ironically, the daring triodetic structure of the

Netherlands Pavilion, prefabricated and assembled on the fairs site, rested on a

base of Dutch-made brick. The foundation for the future is thus its vernacular

past, and the epitome of the sustained illusion that two realities, modern and

vernacular, cannot only coexist, but that they are absolutely necessary and

integral parts of Dutch society.

15 Francis Interview, 2015

23 Bibliography Baker, J. (1967) Expo and the future City Architectural review. 142, 151-4 Canadian Corporation for the 1967 World Exhibition. Expo 67. Montreal: The Corporation, 1969. Dixon, Meredith. Expo '67 Slide Collection. http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/expo-67/slides/LARGE/(3D)_35_Netherlands_CartoonMural.jpg. Dupuy, Pierre. Expo 67 ou la dcouverte de la fiert. Montreal: Les ditions la presse, 1972. Francis (last name undisclosed), Interview by Adriana Mogosanu. (March 10, 2015). Expo 67 NCF Website, http://expo67.ncf.ca. (accessed February 02, 2015) http://expo67.ncf.ca/floor_plan_netherlands_expo67.html. Klare, Paul. "Nederland klaar voor Wereld Expo 67." May 14, 1966. http://www.dutch-vintage-animation.org/index.php/en/joop-geesink-tribute-site-nieuws/dollywood-historische-berichten/201-1966-nederland-zit-op-frontloge-op-expo (accessed February 17, 2015). Life Magazine. Tomorrow soars at the fair. April 27, 1967. https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitebeard/4556059195/ (accessed February 20, 2015) Lownsbrough, John. The Best Place to Be: Expo 67 and Its Time. Toronto: Penguin Group, 2012. Stanton, Jeffrey. November 11, 2006. http://www.westland.net/expo67/map-docs/netherlands.htm (accessed February 17, 2015). . November 11, 2006. http://www.westland.net/expo67/map-docs/cinema.htm (accessed February 17, 2015).