ABSTRACT

By the time the 1958 Brussels universal and international exhibition, Expo 58, revived the century-old tradition of world’s fairs, the main efforts of the reconstruction period in Europe were already largely fulfilled. With 43 nations and dozens of firms participating, Expo 58 demonstrated the new geopolitical positions of both former allied and axis forces, while at the same time it offered a snapshot of Cold War tensions. The fair promoted a new humanism 1 and set out to testify to the benefits of recently developed technologies and the importance of science to the daily life of Man. 2 To its Belgian organizers, it was important to present the exhibition as a celebration and demonstration of world peace, whilst claiming a leadership position for the nation in post-war recovery and in the new international alliances (Fig. 7.1).