BIE Bulletin 2023 - Expos and territories: anticipating the post-Expo transition

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,

Click here to access the 2023 edition of the BIE Bulletin

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