In the context of the 34th World Expo opening in Milan this spring, Het Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam addresses this phenomenon from different perspectives between April 26 and August 23.

In the exhibition "What is the Netherlands" AMO outlines a portrait of 14 Dutch contributions to the World Expo since 1910. Every contribution is showing where the Netherlands was at a particular point in history, where they wanted to be, and how Art, Economics, Trade, Architecture… could be displayed coherently on an international platform. The Pavilion represents the outcome of endless discussions and design proposals to communicate to the world, the one aim envisioned by all: WAT IS NEDERLAND.

Within this concept I defined a strategy to represent these 14 radically different pavilions to create a very clear overview of the contributions, as well as showing the identity and content of each pavilion in itself. With the often limited (technical) information that was obtained I designed a system using the 2D plans and section (literally!) as frames to create 3D representations. The general aim of the exhibition is to give an impression of the Dutch pavilions through a combination of fragments. Therefore the models are also an abstraction of the actual building, showing only the most relevant information to the visitors. A fragment of the facade gives an impression of the (Dutch) aesthetics in that period of time. The interior content of each pavilion is translated into copper jewels celebrating and glorifying the Dutchness of the exhibition.