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Belgium Pavilion

Pavilion organisers set out to show Belgium as a country where people are generous, hospitable, and possess a witty sarcasm. They also wanted to demonstrate the country as a place where individuals work together to reach concensus, where history and culture collide, and where everyone knows how to have fun.

Designers thought, “What better way to make this feeling tangible than with a fair, a carnival.” Thus, the Belgium Pavilion takes the form of a small carnival. Inspiration was drawn from actual, annual fairs that take place along the Belgian coast. Walking among carousels, one is immersed in rich cultural history, in Belgian life. But, of course, there is also a prominent spot in the pavilion for the two things Belgium is best known for: diamonds and chocolate.

The exterior of the pavilion features wooden fencing and blinking lights. When entering the pavilion, visitors pass a “ticket booth” where they can have their Expo passports stamped. Then, they walk along a panoramic graphic of the dunes, grass, and sandy beaches of the Belgian coast along the North Sea. Five meters tall and 40 meters long, the illustrated graphic is a composition of important coastal sights. Along the open panorama are a handful of exhibits embedded in “binocular viewers.”

In the heart of the pavilion stand three old-fashioned carousels, slowly turning. Each carousel is focused on a different subject. One is focussed on Belgian culture, with various 2-D graphics representing cultural icons. A handrail that surrounds the carousel features each image displayed on the carousel, along with information about its significance.

A second carousel, dubbed the Chocolate Carousel, features master chocolatiers fashioning edible works of art. Each edible sculpture, from dolphins to ancient maps, references the Expo 2012 theme of “The Living Ocean and Coast.” Finally, the Diamond Carousel teaches visitors how the Belgians have become the world’s best diamond polishers. The highlight of the Diamond Carousel is a golden tennis racquet encrusted with hundreds of diamonds.

No visit to a Belgian fair would be complete without Belgian fries, Brussels waffles, ice cream, and, of course, Belgian chocolate. So the tour of the pavilion culminates in a thematic restaurant (designed as if it is, itself, a carousel-like space) and a souvenir shop, where visitors can grab a stash of Belgian chocolate to take home and enjoy long after their visit to Expo is over.