1st Edition

International Exhibitions and Urbanism The Zaragoza Expo 2008 Project

By Javier Monclús Copyright 2009
    224 Pages
    by Routledge

    224 Pages
    by Routledge

    International Exhibitions and Urbanism provides an insightful and comprehensive historical review of international exhibitions in its first half, which is then illustrated with a thorough technical analysis of the Zaragoza 2008 project in its second half. The first half offers a comparative analysis of nearly 50 events which haven taken place over the past 150 years, as well as exploring the relationships with urbanism from a planning perspective Underpinned by the first-hand information that the author has as one of the event's organizers the second half is devoted to the Zaragoza project for the 2008 Exposition. After giving contextual (historical and demographic) information, the Expo's master plan and building projects are then described.

    Contents: Foreword; Prologue; Introduction; Part 1 Three Historical Cycles of International Exhibitions: 'Historical' expositions: from ephemeral to permanent; Expos in the modern era: a change in urban development perspective; Expositions in the era of globalisation and post-modernity: cultural economy and strategic urban development. Part 2 The Expo Zaragoza 2008 Project: The Expo Zaragoza 2008 project as a part of urban development; The Expo as an urban project and meta-project: from masterplan to building projects; The Expo project as a catalyst for other urban development projects (2004-2008): the accompanying plan; Epilogue and Conclusions: problems, opportunities and conditions for the Zaragoza Expo 2008 Project; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.

    Biography

    Javier Monclús is Professor of Urbanism, Politechnical University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.

    'This book stands as the first comparative matrix of nearly 50 events over a century and a half, in which the relationship with urbanismo - implying morphological and design connotations which differ from planeamiento or town planning - are enriched by the author's formidable background as a planning historian and practitioner.' Arturo Almandoz, Simón Bolívar University, Venezuela 'As a historian of urban planning, Javier Monclús has a deep understanding of past Expos and other major urban spectacle events as catalysts for urban change. He combines this with direct practical engagement in the legacy planning for the recent Zaragoza Expo to produce a uniquely informative and insightful book.' Stephen V. Ward, Oxford Brookes University, UK