EXPO'70 OSAKA Banpaku Towers

[aoyamacho]

Japan was the first Asian country to hosted the EXPO in 1970 in Osaka. And it had a futureistic expo architecture site. The Two tallest structures were the TOWER OF SUN (North Side of Expo site) and the EXPO TOWER (south side of Expo site)

TOWER OF SUN / TAIYO NO TOU (1970)
The artist, now dead, Okamoto Taro designed the Main Expo Theme Pavillion. The centreal piece is TAIYOU NO TOU. The large structure a bizzare statue called "Taiyou-no-tou" (Tower of Sun) which was surrounded by a large structure of a steel frame and translucent plastic roof. It was the largest roof in the world! Under the tower was extensive underground exhibition area. The entrance was you start underground, to enter the bottom of Tower of Sun. IN the Tower it had an exhibit inside and escalators to move up to level of the steel frame and translucent roof. But many yeasrs later after it was all removed and now, only the Tower of Sun remains.

1970 Steel Frame Roof sorrounds the Tower of Sun
http://www.measure-love.jp/expo70theme/koshikizenbun.htm
1970 Plan of Inside Tower of Sun
http://www.measure-love.jp/expo70theme/taiyonotounaibuchizu.htm
Underground Tower of Sun
http://www.measure-love.jp/expo70theme/chikachizu.htm
Under the Big Roof
http://www.measure-love.jp/expo70theme/chikatenji3.htm
(PLEASE CLICK 'NEXT' TO CONTINUE MORE 1970 PICTURES)

EXPO TOWER
The other side of the Expo site had the Expo Tower with many modules suspended to the side of the tall steel tower. There was exhibitions inside.
Recently the Expo Tower was totally removed because it was too rusty and hard to maintain.

The Expo'70 site in 2003
http://www.geocities.co.jp/HeartLand-Kikyo/3106/expotower/
http://www.geocities.co.jp/HeartLand-Kikyo/3106/2003contactday/


RECENTLY INSIDE THE TOWER OF SUN & THE EXPO TOWER 2003
After Expo was finished, it is prohibited to enter these monuments. The Red Interior of Tower of Sun still remains. And the Expo Tower had grass growin inside! They have aged into ruin. But some rare looks inside you can see how it looks in recent years. Only the bizzare Tower of Sun remains, but the as for Expo Tower it is now totally gone.

Tower of Sun and Expo Tower in 2003
http://www.geocities.co.jp/HeartLand-Kikyo/3106/yanobekenjimegaromania/


THE next Expo 2005 will be next to NAGOYA in AICHI PREFECTURE.
Please go in 2005! They will make many new structures...

[Vapour]

Thanks a lot for the info and the pictures :) 多分EXPO 2005に行きます ;)

[aoyamacho]

Go check here, its many links and many photos and information of EXPO'70
http://expomuseum.com/1970/

[aoyamacho]

Official Site of EXPO 2005 in AICHI PREFECTURE
http://www-0.expo2005.or.jp/

[aoyamacho]

The artist named Okamoto Taro, most famous masterpiece is the Expo'70 Main Theme Pavillion. It was a large complex which included many structures and levels, such as underground area, largest steel frame and plastic roof in the world, and many colorful artistic exhibitions: underground, inside tower and suspended from the roof. The people can visit all the levels. Especially at the center is Taiyou-no-tou (Tower of Sun) which connect the levels and unify everything.

Here is best site about Okamato Taro and Tower of Sun with many pictures:
http://www1.u-netsurf.ne.jp/~kitada/doc/taiyo/index.htm

[aoyamacho]

Download this movie of the Expo Tower's ending
http://www.kagurazaka.co.jp/kachimo/expo/etmovie/

[aoyamacho]

Now if you go to the Expo'70 Park today (now its called "Banpaku Kinen Kouen") it looks like a nature park with forests and grasses. But before the original Expo'70 site was very different. It was looked like a futureistic city of metal, glass and cement. The Expo'70 site remain same a few years after 1970, but more years later many pavillions was demolished.

Please looks at these rare pictures of Expo site after 1970, but before it was demolish. If you can go to Expo site today, you can compare difference from before:

The visitors memorial pictures of Expo'70:
Most is the picture from 1970 during Expo, but one is the picture from 1976 after the Expo.
http://www.expo70.jp/photo/photo/index.html

Demolish of majority of Expo 70 site:
Part 1 is Foreign Pavillions, Part 2 is Japanese Pavillions. Please notice the main theme pavillion. Just only Tower of Sun remains today.
http://www.kagurazaka.co.jp/kachimo/expo/kaitai/index.html

The 3D Computer Simulation of Original Expo'70 site:
Very excellent details! You can click more on the pavillion's graphics to have a more close up.
http://www.konoike.org/3d/index.html

The Expo Park Now:
Its the homepage of the park now. Its more natural now.
http://www.expo70.or.jp/

[dcb11]

Great stuff. EXPO '70 was one of the most important events in Japanese architectural history. I'm still a huge fan of Metabolism. It holds enormous potential for the future.

Imagine going to EXPO '70 and then the next day, touring Kyoto! That would be quite an architectural experience!