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Algeria Pavilion

Algeria has an incredible cultural wealth of several millennia worth of world-famous old cities and world heritage sites. But the actual riches of the Algerian Nation come forth from the two seas in the North and South of the country: The Mediterranean (the sea along Algeria’s beautiful, rugged coastline) and the Sahara (a sea of sand in the deep south of the country).

The pavilion attempts to tell the story of both seas amid architectural details meant to represent an actual existing villa along the Bay of Algiers. Within the villa-inspired space, visitors can view the Sahara to the south, and the Mediterranean to the North.

When entering the pavilion, visitors walk into what seems like a small courtyard. The visitors are welcomed by a wall of images of Algerian children, from all parts and of diverse backgrounds. Next, visitors encounter a large map of the country, showing the surrounding nations to create context. Beside the 6-foot-tall extruded map, graphic panels describe Algerian land, culture, water-related themes of the future, and more.

A few steps further into the pavilion, visitors encounter a series of graphic panels that represent a fisherman mending his nets near the harbor of Algiers. Designed as a photo opportunity, visitors are welcome to stop and post for a picture with the faux fisherman.

Crossing from the gallery into the plaza, the visitor is introduced to the best of traditional home architecture — the traditional Algerian courtyard. The floor is made of hexagon tiles, and in the middle is a large mosaic in the outline of a traditional fountain with an overlay of a large compass. The compass is a visual representation of the North/South axis, reinforcing the concept of looking south to the Sahara and north to the Mediterranean.

Within the exhibit, lighting and information panels offer in-depth content related to the north and south of the country. Just south of the compass, visitors walk toward large arched openings in the southern wall. Beyond the wall, there is sand on the floor and a wide panoramic screen focusing on the Sahara and the stunning views that the Deep South has to offer.

North of the compass, the visitor views a central wooden door which opens every five minutes to give access to the main theater space. On each side of this door, there are large and deep niches, with exhibits dedicated to the traditional naval costumes of Algeria and historical events that have occurred along the Algerian shores.

When the wooden door opens, the visitors enter the theater space, which feels like a terrace, similar to the actual open terrace at the rear of Bastion23 in Algiers. A wide panorama, the film begins with a view out to sea. People spread out and find their place. Lights dim. Then a feature film titled “Between two Seas” starts.

The film tells a story of the coast and sea of Algeria, from prehistoric times (when Algerian oil and natural gas was formed beneath the seas of the Sahara) to more recent history. The entire film is told from the point of view of a simple fisherman and his granddaughter. The grandfather takes the girl on a journey through the story of Algeria’s seas, and the visitor travels alongside the two, looking over their shoulders.

Projected onto a multi-projection surface of approximately 570 square feet, and combining animation and actual video footage of Algeria, the main show is the highlight of the pavilion. Leaving the main show space, visitors enter the final gallery area. Here, they encounter various exhibits dedicated to Algerian cities.