Portugal - Expo Lisbon 1998
The Portuguese pavilion is a building consisting of two volumes side by side, the first volume is an open rectangle protected only by a roof, and the second volume is the building containing the exhibition areas and a restaurant.
The first volume serves as a covered plaza for ceremonies and other events, its surface is 65 meters by 50 meters and is covered by a thin reinforced concrete sheet 20 hundredths thick and hung on each side by stainless steel tie rods, this concrete sheet gives a lightness to the building and seems to float in the air.
The second volume, which houses the Portuguese national presentation, is characterised by an inner courtyard, as in the old Portuguese buildings.
It consists of four rooms, designed by Souto de Moura, each with its own theme.
The first room presents the expansion of Portugal.
The second room, in the shape of a funnel, shows objects found at the bottom of the sea near Sao Julia da Barra and Oeiras.
The third room is a huge half-sphere that gives visitors the impression of being underwater.
The last room is rectangular in shape and asks questions about the future
This pavilion presents the visitor with the discovery and conquest of the oceans and also offers an insight into Portuguese culture.
The exhibition develops three main ideas:
- Universal myths linked to the oceans
- Sea routes to link all humans
- Portuguese identity and heritage linked to the oceans