The Jordan Pavilion at Expo 2000 (Part 1)

Every two years a World Exposition is held in a different location and countries from around the world use it as an opportunity to either boast of their accomplishments or to expose people to a history and culture that they would otherwise not experience. The last World Expo was Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany held from June through October 2000 (it lasted 153 days). Over 170 countries and organisations participated which was a record for a world exhibition (see Focus on Expo 2000). Through this opportunity the architect, chosen by each nation, often has the difficult but exciting task of manifesting the history and essence of a nation in some kind of physical structure. In the case of the Jordan Pavilion it was the design team led by architect Akram Abu Hamdan and including Bishr Zureikat, Sahel Hayari, Nadia Dajani and Hasanen Kazimi (with design development consultant: Atelier Wolfgang Rang) that was responsible for representing Jordan to the world.

THE DESIGN CONCEPT BEHIND THE JORDAN PAVILION

The main concept behind the design is that the pavilion attempts to capture the varied and rich history of Jordan and its people through what is referred to as a "mosaic" of objects and images. The pavilion was intended to be experienced through archeological layers which show the history of forces which have shaped this nation. This connection with archaeology stems from the great historical value of the nation which of course would attract archaeologists. Because of archeological interest in Jordan, evidenced by over 13,000 sites, it is fitting to have the pavilion be a metaphor for Jordan that is represented as an archeological site. To take this metaphor of an archaeological dig one step further the pavilion is made interactive so that the user moving through the site becomes the archaeologist and gains an understanding of this country through time.

The spatial typology of a dig was utilized in creating the mosaic of displayed artifacts and elements. The elements act as sometimes abstract and sometimes literal imagery that are meant to be read by the users of this space. The mosaic is set up in a flat grid while each element arbitrarily varies in height and volume. Each object acts as an autonomous component not just because it is separated by the other objects by this rigid system but by its unique message. These messages were created by artists who participated in the production of each object in the mosaic. The cooperative work of artists, craftsmen, designers and even school children was meant to create a quality of collective artistic expression. By use of objects representing different topics related to Jordan and by using various members of society to create this mosaic, the result was a varied but inclusive image of Jordan and its people.

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