How is an Expo site planned with its legacy in mind? This is the question explored by “Expos and territories: anticipating the post-Expo transition”, the 2023 edition of the Bulletin of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) released today.
Featuring case studies of World and Specialised Expos ranging from the late 1990s to 2025, this year’s BIE Bulletin provides a revealing look into the rationale, the decision-making processes and the practical considerations that shape the evolution of Expo sites in their legacy phase.
Gathering academics, urbanists, decision-makers and key Expo figures, the contributions to this edition of the BIE Bulletin present multiple perspectives on the planning and management of Expo sites and their urban footprint from the preparation stage through to the post-event phase. Spanning different decades, the articles offer an illuminating viewpoint of some of the strategies adopted in host cities and shed light on the many ways that post-Expo transitions go on to influence and shape urban planning beyond the site itself.
Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, the Secretary General of the BIE, indicated:“Expos are transformative events; ones that for their host cities constitute a unique and multifaceted journey, shaped by community considerations and structured around economic and urban planning strategies. Telling the story of Expo transitions through different lenses and at different points in time, the 2023 edition of the Bulletin shines a light on the imaginative, experimental and influential urban transformations that take place on Expo sites as they move from one life phase to the next.”
Every year, the BIE Bulletin offers an array of expert viewpoints on a specific theme or issue arising from Expos. The contributions to the BIE Bulletin 2023 include:
Expo 1998 Lisbon: the impact of a planned legacy
Paulo Tormenta Pinto, Full Professor of Architecture, Iscte, University Institute of Lisbon, Portugal
Pedro Luz Pinto, Assistant Professor of Architecture, Iscte, University Institute of Lisbon, Portugal
Ana Brandão, PhD Researcher, DINÂMIA’CET-Iscte, University Institute of Lisbon, Portugal
The development and achievements of the former site of Expo 2005 Aichi
Yoshiki Kitagawa, Director, Parks and Greenery Division, Aichi Prefectural Government
Yasushi Kawai, Director, Ghibli Park Division, Aichi Prefectural Government
The past, present and promising future of Expo 2008 Zaragoza
Marta Gastón Menal, Minister for Economy, Planning and Employment of the Government of Aragon
The Shanghai Experience: the post-event transformation and urban regeneration of Expo 2010 Shanghai
Guoyi Shen, Chief planner, Shanghai Land Group
From Expo to MIND: the legacy of Expo 2015 Milan
Igor De Biasio, CEO, Arexpo
Expo 2017 Astana and the inauguration of a vibrant mixed-use community
Luis F. Palacio, Design Director, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
A new dimension: the transition from Expo to legacy
Najeeb Al-Ali, Executive Director, Expo City Dubai Authority
The urban strategies maximising the impact of Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai
Ichiro Matsui, Former Mayor of Osaka
Building social legacies at former and future Expo sites: the case for equity
Jennifer Minner, Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, United States
Martin Abbott, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Science and Technology Studies, Cornell University,