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Title: EXPO ETCETERAS Pages: 70 - 71  
Author: Editorial Text: EXPO ETCETERAS Expo is almost the only place in Japan where it is easy to find one's way around, thanks to an excellent set of picture symbols designed by Shigeo Fukada. The men's and women's symbols are sufficiently distinctive to avoid the confusion and embarrassment at Montreal (where symbols were almost identical). Umbrellas, children's push-carts and wheel-chairs for the disabled are all available at the five entry gates, although Expo is heavy going for the physically handicapped; some pavilions are situated at the top of impassable flights of steps, and few of them have special entry and exit points (Caption) Braced tents, above, detail left covering entry points hark back to Frei Otto's German pavilion at Montreal. Far left, a spot of light relief outside the US pavilion (Caption) Shops, restaurants and information counters, far right are situated in all the seven plazas (named after the seven days of the week). Surmounted by huge pale yellow balloons, the Information counters are plugged into the computer cortrolled communication system at Expo headquarters. They are frequently used for locating lost children. Child tags, with serial numbers printed on them are issued at all entry points; the parent tears off the top half of the ticket, pinning the rest to the child. If the child is lost the parent takes the ticket to the information counter which feeds the serial number into a computer. Children without tags pinned to them have information about their physical characteristics fed into the central computer. Parents can also identify children on a tv telephone. Lighting at Expo, above, is competent rather than impressive. Single or double lamps are fitted to tubular steel (Caption) Outdoor furniture (designed under the direction of Kenji Ekoan) is straightforward and sensible, with slatted plastics seating arranged under tented awnings. The absence of litter is probably due to inbred Japanese tidiness than to the litter-bins. which are drab and anonymous (Caption) Square perforated steel sculpture, left, by Isamu Noguchi appears to be thrust into the air by its descending jet of water. Four sided clocks dotted over the site provide 'Expo official time'; they are controlled by a master clock said to have an accuracy of plus or minus one second over several thousand years. Chunkily designed post boxes above left, are served by four branch post offices and a main office. Outgoing mail receives a special franking. All pavilions are linked by telephone. Outdoor phones are turquoise green and placed in prismatic boxes, above right |
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