While the legacy of a World Expo is often judged in the weeks and months following its closure, the long term contribution to the host city continues to evolve over decades. The latest announcement from Seville - that the Pavilion of the Future from Expo 1992 will become a regional Archive Centre – proves this, showing that even 24 years later, a pavilion built for the Expo can continue to attract interest and investment.
The Pavilion of the Future was one of the largest and most iconic buildings built for Expo 1992 in Seville, hosting the thematic areas of the Universe, Telecommunications, Energy and the Environment. Designed by the architects Martorell, Bohigas, Macklay and engineer Peter Rice, the 25,019 m2 building features a waveform roof and a free-standing façade composed of 11 semi-circular stone arches made from Rosa Poriña granite from Galicia. Located on the city’s Isla de la Cartuja, the Pavilion of the Future neighbours the ‘Seville Rocket’, a full-scale replica of the Ariane Four launch system.
Following the Expo, the Pavilion remained in place and has been continually used as a venue for entertainment, cultural and business events. Now, twenty-four years after the Expo, the Spanish Government has announced that the building will be modernised with an investment of EUR 2.2mn, transforming it into the unique Archive Centre of the Andalusia region.
Under this new plan, the northern halls of the building, which previously hosted the Environment and Energy sections of the pavilion, as well as the entire basement, will be used for the Archive Centre. This will include document storage space, a library and reading room for the public and for researchers, as well as office space and technical facilities. The move will allow the region to gather all of its archives in one location, thus leading to operational efficiencies.
While the Archive Centre is only set to open in late 2017 or early 2018, the Pavilion of the Future will nevertheless house cultural events and an exhibition as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of Expo 1992 planned for next year.
