expo 67 lounge

"Design For A Fair"

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:10:00 +0000

Much has been said over the years of Buckminster Fuller's iconic design for the exterior of the U.S. pavilion at Expo 67. Perhaps lesser known (but equally as important) were the designers of the pavilion's interior: the American architecture firm Cambridge Seven Associates.

Led by Peter Chermayeff, Terry Rankine and Ivan Chermayeff, the Cambridge Seven Associates were responsible for the overall concept, interior architecture, and exhibits of the United States' pavilion at Expo 67.

The pavilion's interior was a composition of towers and open exhibit platforms, connected by escalators and stairs, all never touching the 250-foot sphere.

A celebration of the creative spirit of Americans, the exhibition contained a wide range of objects and artifacts: from NASA's space exploration technology to the movies of Hollywood, pop-art painting and sculpture, as well as a wide range of inventions, musical instruments, and folk art.

Interesting to note, it was the Cambridge Seven Associates team that required Expo authorities to route the Minirail through the sphere at the equator, adding another unique experience to the space.

Together with Buckminster Fuller's dramatic transparent dome, the overall effect created was an extraordinary experience, allowing different views inwards and outwards, day or night.

Narrated by Cambridge Seven's Peter Chermayeff, "Design for a Fair: The United States Pavilion at Expo '67 Montreal" (top) offers an inside look at the planning of the interior exhibit of the U.S. pavilion.

Check it out, above!

images: (1) expo67.ncf.ca, montage by author
(2) personal collection
(3 & 4) flickr.com
(5) screen capture

Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:48:00 +0000

Happy Holidays from the Expo Lounge!

A Very Michèle Richard Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:21:00 +0000

My retro-licious Expo 67 Christmas tree has a new twist this year: I've added custom-designed Michèle Richard ornaments... ♫ Oui, les amis ♫...!

images: author's own

Retro Recipe: Petticoat Stiffener

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:01:00 +0000

After the rationing and shortages of World War II, women were longing for frivolity.

Enter fashion designer Christian Dior in 1947. His debut collection was called "Corolle"... literally, the botanical term for a circlet of flower petals. "I have designed flower women," said Dior of his new silhouette that emphasized wasp waists and flared, petticoated skirts. Harper's Bazaar dubbed it the "New Look", and Dior's name in fashion history was made.

Dior's New Look dominated the fashion world for about 10 years, progressing from a gentle swish in the early 50's to a round ball like bouffant effect by the 1960's (think, Mad Men). Tiered, ruffled petticoats were extremely popular, especially with teenage girls, often worn 2 or 3 at a time. Each petticoat was stiffened in some way either by conventional starch or a strong sugar solution.

From Grandma's Vintage Recipes, a DIY concoction to add pouf to your petticoat and crunch to your crinoline:

3/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons turpentine
2 tablespoons borax
1 quart cold water

Stir up.
Dip in & iron dry.

images: (top) etsy.com
(bottom) fashion.lilithezine.com

The Expo 67 Memorial Album

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:21:00 +0000

Of all the Expo 67 books ever published, this one was the Grand Poo-bah.

Released in 1968 by Thomas Nelson and Sons (Canada) Limited, the Expo 67 Memorial Album was the definitive descriptive and pictorial record of Montreal's world's fair.

Designed by Gérard Caron and edited by Jean-Louis de Lorimier, this large, boxed coffee-table book featured a stunning mixture of color and black & white and photography, all interspersed by lengthy articles and observations on Expo 67.

The 368-page document was divided into 10 sections, including an eloquent preface written by Expo's Commissioner General, Pierre Dupuy, and an extensive index for easy reference. All texts and titles were in Expo's ubiquitous Optima font and presented in both French and English.

Pigeons taking up residence at Place des Nations.

An introductory chapter by James Gladstone called "Magic Island" offered a unique and intimate portrait of Expo. In this picturesque example, the author describes the quiet morning hours before Expo's opening:

"An Expo-Express train rumbles into the elevated station and three maintenance workers step aboard, their night's work done. The sound of the train disappears across Concordia Bridge. A pigeon flutters down from the huge concrete Expo symbol at the end of the square and flops heavily onto the deserted podium, the sound clear above the hushed rush of the river."

Expo's Deputy Commissioner General Robert F. Shaw penned the chapter "How Expo Was Built". Shaw credited the Critical Path method for keeping Expo's extensive construction on schedule:

"Probably the most important technique introduced by the Installations and other departments was the critical path method and schedule. [...] The critical path method of scheduling is based on breaking down any given project into specific elements and assigning deadlines for the progress and completion of each element. The method is, of course, only as good as its programming, and all personnel involved were therefore trained to feed their collective skills into this important part of the project, and to receive from it reports on the results of individual performances on a day-to-day basis."

An aerial view of Expo's man-made islands under construction.

A stunning photo of the groovy Pulp and Paper pavilion.

The Memorial Album's largest section was the chapter dedicated to "The Participants".

Divided into 3 parts - National Participants, Private Participants, Sponsors - this was the pavilion-by-pavilion overview of Expo 67. Listed in alphabetical order, an in-depth description and lavish photographs accompanied each and every pavilion and exhibit. The section was over 200 pages long.

The Memorial Album covered each and every Expo exhibit. Here, Monaco.

An aerial shot of the impressive U.S. pavilion.

Over the years, this book has remained my number one research tool for pavilion posts on Expo Lounge. Highly sought after, it is one of my most prized Expo 67 treasures... as much for its beauty as for its usefulness.

Photographs by Michael Francis McCarthy, used with permission.
Check out his ultra-fab blog: designKULTUR

Star Trek's Balok

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 21:37:00 +0000

Balok was one of Star Trek's most iconic aliens.

Designed by noted sculptor and special effects master Wah Ming Chang, the sinister effigy appeared in the first season episode The Corbomite Maneuver.

Wah Chang was responsible for many of Star Trek's most memorable creatures - the Salt Vampire, the Gorn, Tribbles - as well as some of the series' iconic props: the Communicator, the Tricorder, the Vulcan Lute. The design of the Romulan Bird of Prey warship was also his creation.

Trek aside, Chang worked on a host of motion pictures during his career:

At Walt Disney, he created sculptures that were used as references by the studio's animators: articulated deer models for Bambi, and a maquette of the Pinocchio puppet. The spectacular headdress worn by Elizabeth Taylor in the 1963 feature film Cleopatra was designed by Chang as well, as was one of advertising's most famous mascots: the Pillsbury Doughboy.

The vocalizations of Balok were done by Ted Cassidy, the actor most known for his role as Lurch in the Addams Family television series. Cassidy had been hired to play in the Star Trek episode What are Little Girls Made Of and producers asked him to record Balok's threatening lines with his deep voice.

Throughout the years, the image of Balok has remained legendary in the hearts and imaginations of Star Trek fans and a symbol of one of the most influential television shows of all time. Balok enthusiasts can buy t-shirts, wall graphics... even a Halloween mask...!

The ultimate souvenir, the original Balok head was recently unearthed and put up for auction. It sold for 70,000$...!

The most memorable image of Balok for me was the one that appeared during Star Trek's final credits (above). I just loved that image of the bluish, cat-eyed alien in the eerily-lit control center...

images: (1-3-4) anonymousworks.blogspot.com
(2) google image search
(5) montage by author

Toronto's "Mini-Me" Expo 67

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:04:00 +0000

Aerial views of Ontario Place (top), Expo 67 (bottom).

In the early 1970's, the city of Toronto was having a little Expo-envy. Initiated by the Government of Ontario, Ontario Place was Toronto's answer to Montreal’s Expo 67.

Like Expo, Ontario Place was built on man-made islands along the city's waterfront. Officially opened on May 22, 1971, the park encompassed 96 acres of which 51 acres were land fill.

Ontario Place's pods (top) and Expo's Quebec pavilion (bottom) floated on water.

The original Ontario Place consisted of 5 glass-and-steel pavilion pods elevated above the water, each pod being suspended from tension cables anchored to a central column. Glass staircases and walkways connected the pods, islands and shore. The overall transparency of these structures created a feeling of floating in open space between water and sky. [To me, squarish structures floating above water call to mind the Quebec pavilion, while open spaces, tension cables and transparent membranes recall the German pavilion...]

Ontario Place’s five pods were offset by 2 focal points: the Forum, an open-air concert bowl [Autostade, anyone?], and the Cinesphere, the world's first permanent IMAX theatre, housed in a geodesic dome. [Comparisons to the U.S. pavilion are obvious, while the origins of IMAX can also be traced back to Expo 67...]

Boutiques and restaurants dotted the Pod/Cinesphere complex, including a fine dining restaurant called The Trillium.

Toronto's Cinesphere (top), Montreal's Biosphere, 1974 (bottom).

Ontario Place was originally rather sparse, awaiting future development. Early brochures presented Ontario Place as a "work in progress" that would be ever-changing. [Expo 67's follow up permanent exhibition "Man and His World" was also supposed to be an ever-changing "work in progress"...]

All this free space meant that like Expo 67, Ontario Place visitors could take refuge in large, park-like rest areas. And like Expo, graphics and pictograms in brilliant primary and secondary colors guided visitors throughout the site.

Fireworks booming above Ontario Place (top) and La Ronde (bottom).

In the early years, Ontario Place was a success: during its short May-through-September season, the park drew some 2.5 million visitors annually... establishing it as the fifth-most popular theme park in the world.

In 1972, The Children’s Village was unveiled, featuring an interactive play environment for kids. It quickly became Ontario Place's top attraction, and a water play area opened in 1973; featuring water cannons, spray bridges and pedal-powered deluge fountains. [La Ronde had its own Children's Village, while interactive games and water play were key features of the Vienna Kindergarten...]

The Girls of Ontario Place

Ontario Place guides (left) Man and His World, 1968 hostesses (right).

Like Expo 67, Ontario Place's pretty hostesses drew a lot of attention:

Toronto Week magazine claimed: "There’s a lot to see at Ontario Place, and some of the easiest things on the eye are the attractive guides.”

The Globe and Mail did a photo spread of the girls, writing: “The 100 girls who are the hostesses at Ontario Place for the summer… have hot pants and pantsuits, a midi, a jacket and a stretchy yellow-and-white bubble blouse. Most popular are the hot pants. One girl commented ‘I’ve just got to shorten them.’”...

The Ontario Place theme song (above) was written by Dolores Claman, of Hockey Night in Canada fame. [Doesn't it sound just like A Place to Stand?]

images (1-3-5-7) robertmoffatt115.wordpress.com

(2) flickr.com

(4) archives de montréal

(6) chamblycounty.com

(8) alamedainfo.com

(9) montage by author

The Administration and News Pavilion

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 00:01:00 +0000

The Administration and News pavilion was the nerve center of Expo 67.

Located in the Cité du Havre sector near Place d'accueil and the International Broadcasting Centre, the 3-storey structure housed the offices of Expo 67's administration and news services.

The award-winning building featured a stepped exterior, each floor overhanging the one below, providing maximum protection from direct sunlight.

Expo's 6 different administrative departments shared this space, including the public relations department (directed by Yves Jasmin), Logexpo - the fair's housing bureau, and Expovox - its information centre.

The building had 3 wings, each with its own entrance hall; the idea being that each area could be used seperately if so desired.

The halls were decorated by large concrete mural sculptures, the work of leading Canadian artists. Different artists gave each of the entrances its own distinct look.

Impressive facilities were set aside for international journalists visiting Expo:

A bowl-shaped, 150-seat amphitheatre equipped with 6 television cameras was used for press conferences. There were 4 studios reserved for filmed interviews, and 9 booths for radio broadcasting. Distinguished guests and newsmen had access to a special reception salon and a completely equipped press room. Simultaneous translation facilities and interpreters were continually on hand.

The building also featured a cafeteria, restaurant, bar, and underground parking.

The landscape area between the Administration and News pavilion and the International Broadcasting Centre contained a large reflecting pool and a sculpture.

Unlike most Expo 67 structures, the Administration and News pavilion was designed to be permanent. The building still exists today, housing the offices of the Montreal Port Authority and the Maritime Employers Association...

images: (1) expo67.ncf.ca
(2-3-4) personal collection (Montréal magazine)

John Fuevog's Munster Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 14 May 2011 13:49:00 +0000

Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, footwear designer John Fluevog began his career in the late 1960's at local shoe shop Sheppard's Shoes. In 1970, he formed a partnership with Peter Fox to design and sell stylish shoes under the name Fox and Fluevog.

After an amicable split in 1981, Fluevog went on to open his first independent store, John Fluevog Shoes, in 1985.

Fluevog's quirky and avant-garde designs garnered him a cult following with the creative, artistic and rebellious crowd. From ultra-pointy to overly-round toes, platform shoes, severely squared heels, handmade clogs; and adorned with art-deco designs, swirly, colorful patterns, peace signs, hearts, etc.

In 1990, Lady Miss Kier donned a pair of John Fluevog's Munster shoes on Deee-Lite's World Clique album cover, thus making the trumpet-heeled platforms an iconic symbol of the '90s House/Club underground DJ scene...

A limited-edition re-issue is available at the John Fluevog website.

images: fluevog.com

Vintage Labatt 50 Bottle: "Visit Expo 67"

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:02:00 +0000

Check out this fabulous flea market find that merges 2 of my retro obsessions: A vintage Labatt 50 bottle enticing patrons to "Visit Expo 67"...

images: author's own

Mad Men Barbie Dolls

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 17:47:00 +0000

The TV series Mad Men premiered on July 19th, 2007.

Set in 1960's Manhattan, the show chronicles the lives of the men and women of a fictitious Madison Avenue advertising agency. The first season was set in 1960, and each successive season maintains a realistic progression of time.

Mad Men is acclaimed for its historically accurate visual style. Costume designer Janie Bryant looks to old catalogs, sewing patterns, and women's magazines such as Vogue and Good Housekeeping for inspiration. She uses a combination of original designs, vintage items and outfits rented from costume houses for the show.

The summer 2010 issue of Mattel's own Barbie Collector Magazine.

In the spring of 2010, Mattel released a series of limited-edition collectible Mad Men Barbie and Ken dolls. The dolls are based on Don Draper, the show's leading man; his wife, Betty; one of his colleagues, Roger Sterling; and Joan Holloway, the agency's office manager.

Designed by Mattel doll designer Robert Best, the dolls embody the show's iconic 1960's aesthetic. Molded of Silkstone, a material that resembles the look and weight of porcelain, each doll comes with accessories true to their show counterparts.

The Betty Draper doll embodies the character's Grace Kelly-like glamour. In a Vanity Fair interview, Janie Bryant describes her vision of Betty:

"Betty is sort of a combination of my grandmother and Grace Kelly. And for her, it’s about always presenting that image of perfection. She’s changed, though. The first season her palette was very pale—the grays and the cool blues and pale yellows and all the creams and the whites. But then, for season two, I felt like her character was really transitioning and getting stronger and so you can see there are times when the palette is a lot brighter and stronger, like she’s wearing hot pink and the bright blue..."

Buxom bombshell Joan Holloway has an equally ravishing doll, though she's a contrast to Betty's glacial glamour. Says Bryant of Joan's wardrobe:

"I always design things for her that are very strong in palette because I feel like her character is very strong. She really commands that whole office. And so I really like using bold tones for that character. And I think her silhouette is about knowing that that looks great on her body and knowing where all of her assets are, which she uses to her advantage."

Barbie designer Robert Best's original sketches for the Mad Men dolls.

Haute Doll Magazine Photo Shoot

Prior to the release of the Mattel collection, the now-defunct Haute Doll magazine created their own "Mad-Men-meets-Barbie" photo spread for their March/April 2010 issue.

Not authorized by Mattel, these one-of-a-kind dolls were styled based on outfits from the show, and set in a miniature version of Don Draper's office... complete with cocktails and cigarettes!

Note the Pete Campbell and Peggy Olson dolls, 2 characters that were not produced for the Mattel line...

Prim Peggy Olson presenting her Popsicle ad campaign.

Peggy Olson and Pete Campbell.

Joan Holloway, the office vamp, in a signature jewel-toned dress.

From left: Mini Joan Holloway, Betty Draper, Peggy Olson.

images: (1 to 4) barbiecollector.com
(5 to 13) flickr.com

"Haute Doll" photoshoot:
diorama by Carloyn Allen
fashions by Natalia Sheppard
Barbie repaints by Vin Trapani
photos by Michael Williams

"Expo 67": What's in a Name?

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:31:00 +0000

Nowadays, it's commonplace for a world exhibition to call itself "Expo". Interestingly, the appellation actually originated at Montreal's Expo 67.

In an email correspondence, Yves Jasmin recalls how the name came to be:

'The official name was "The 1967 Universal and International Exhibition in Montréal / L'Exposition universelle et internationale de 1967 à Montreal". A bit of a mouthful. It needed a more convenient name.'

"World's Fair" would have been the obvious choice, but the organizers of Montreal's exhibition did not want to call it a "fair". Yves explains:

'The New York World’s Fair (1964-65) was in full swing and fairs have a commercial overtone while the Montreal event was thematic and NOT a fair.'

He goes on to credit Montreal Mayor Jean Drapeau for the idea of "Expo 67":

'Mayor Drapeau suggested the name "Expo 67", recalling a 1937 Maurice Chevalier song "La p'tite dame de l'Expo", a girlfriend he had met at the spectacular 1937 "specialized" exhibition [Les Arts et Métiers] in Paris. Drapeau's suggestion carried unanimity.'

Yves stresses that "Expo 67" had a chilly reception from the English press:

'I waged a three-year battle with the Gazette and the Montreal Star who fought hard to get Expo to change its name to 'Montreal World's Fair'. For two of those years we were in direct conflict with the New York World's Fair, still the Montreal English speaking journalists fought "Expo" tooth and nail, saying that "Expo'' sounded like a new brand of cigarette, that "Expo" did not convey the significance of an exhibition, etc.'

The legacy of the word "Expo" would be assured in 1970, as Yves explains:

'When Japan had its 1970 World Exhibition, they asked our permission to call it "Expo 70". It was a very gracious move on their part. We didn't even have the creative rights of the name. And now Expo has become a household word all over the world'...

UPDATE (02-27): Some readers have commented that the Brussels exhibition in 1958 had also called itself "Expo". Perhaps I was getting ahead of myself when stating that the term was "invented" for 1967. "Expo" as a diminutive of "exposition" in French was nothing new by 1967, but the universal acceptance of the word in the English language remains attributable to Expo 67.

Yves Jasmin quotes culled from John Whelan's Expo 67 website.

images: (top) alamedainfo.com

(bottom) library and archives Canada

Kitchen Colors of the 50's, 60's and 70's

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 01:38:00 +0000

Fashion is a reflection of its time, the mirror of society. Color has always played a pivotal role in fashion, and color trends can speak volumes about an era's social attitudes.

Kitchens are arguably one of the most important rooms of a home, the veritable nerve center of a household. The evolution of kitchen colors from the 1950's to the 70's is a fascinating one.

The 1950's: Pastel Pretty

The post-war 1950's were a time of optimism and prosperity. While women got a taste of working outside the home during World War II, they went back to their kitchens in the 1950's. Homes were modern and new; it was the birth of suburbia.

Pink was a predominant color in the 1950's. While red is the color of passion and raw emotion, mixed with white it becomes pink, the color of nurturing. Soft pinks ushered women back into the home, encouraging them to nurture their husbands and families.

Another important shade of the era was turquoise, a spiritual, healing color. Turquoise in the 1950's kitchen was meant to encourage positive family relationships.

Yellow represents ego and intellect, and the light, buttery yellow associated with the period represented a need to evolve one's sense of self.

The 1960's: Transition and Change

The prim-and-proper 1950's gave way to the far-out 1960's.

Contrary to her 50's counterpart, the 60's woman was getting out of the kitchen.

Color exploded, echoing the anxiety and rebellion associated with the 1960's. A decade of change, the colors that emerged reflected the issues that concerned not only women, but society in general. Complimentary colors were thrown together in wild combinations. The mainstreaming of drug culture and psychedelia resulted in bright patterns finding their way on curtains, tablecloths and wallpaper.

Red was at the forefront of these tumultuous times, representing emotional upheavel and rebellion. A passionate color, 60's red was agitated and restless... it called to action!

Lime green is created by mixing green with yellow, and bright, lime greens were popular in the 60's. Green is the color of relationships, especially those related to the heart. Often used with yellow (the color of ego and intellect), the combination represented a renewed sense of self.

Orange was an important hue, representing transition and change. Pink still had a nurturing quality, but brighter shades containing red undertones represented excess. Graphic black and white were used to intensify the colors around them.

Interesting to note, blue was significantly missing in the 1960's color palette. Blue is calming, it represents honesty, communication and relationships. Were the times were too turbulent to appreciate blue...?

The 1970's: Harvest Gold and Beyond

After the turmoil of the 1960's, the 70's were all about harmony.

The Vietnam War ended, peace was restored to university campuses and women began to feel that they could make a difference in the world.

As things began to settle, the chaotic colors of the previous decade gave way to muted tones. Earth tones, particularly browns, offered a calm, grounding energy. Contrary to the 1960's, colors were now working with each other, not against.

Avocado Green was an important color in the 70's. Green is the color of harmony and relationships with self and/or others. Green helps establish foundations. While the lime greens of the 60's were tinted with yellow (the color of ego), 70's Avocado Green was tinted with black (the color of humility). Symbolically, the “ego” of the sixties was replaced by the humility of the 70's...

Another important hue of the decade was Harvest Gold. A muted shade of yellow, it offered the same rich, grounding energy as the earth tones did. Orange remained extremely popular, but the acidic hue of the 60's toned itself down for the 70's. Wood and wood grains completed the look...

Fondue, anyone?

Match Your Mood!

For a time in the 1960's, refrigerators were being advertised as exciting machines that could fit effortlessly into modern lifestyles. From French Provincial to Country... or a futuristic fridge for outer space!

The video below is a promotional film from 1968 for the Westinghouse Continental fridge, featuring a variety of fabulous and exotic door panels: Supreme Walnut, Rattan, Astro-Glo-Bronze, Surftex Black, etc. And for the really adventurous, a system of do-it-yourself panels to Match Your Mood...

images: (1-5) plan59.com
(2-3-4-6-7-14) flickr.com
(8) curly-wurly.blogspot.com
(9-10-12) thekitchendesigner.org
(11-13) desiretoinspire.net
(15) kitschyliving.tumblr.com

The Atlantic Provinces Pavilion

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 21:06:00 +0000

The Atlantic provinces pavilion at Expo 67 represented the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.

Located on Île-Notre-Dame near the Indians of Canada, the pavilion was a mostly open structure with a wooden, cantilevered roof (claimed to be the world's largest at the time). The blue-line Minirail passed right under a portion of it.

The openness of the pavilion created a breezy, "Maritime" atmosphere which was enhanced by subtle sounds audible throughout the 3 levels of exhibits: roaring waves, the cry of gulls, the man-made noises of docks. Flags snapped in the wind overhead, and smooth pebbles surrounded the displays.

A principal exhibit area displayed the history, ethnic origins and environment of the Atlantic provinces, as well as a confident look towards the future.

Each provinces' unique quality and character was stressed through illustrated panels that represented their way of life and folklore. Spirited displays discussed migrations, local inventions, myths and regional heroes.

The pavilion's presentation was completed by 4 thematic sub-areas:

The Resources section discussed the abundant potential from forests, mines, soil and sea, as well as the abundance of water and the potential for tidal power.

The Industry section showcased people in their occupations, with a focus on new technologies for 1967: automobile assembly, heavy water production, hardboard manufacture and chemical research.

The focus of the Leisure section was on recreation attractions: natural beauty, mild climate, beaches, salt water and fresh water fishing, hunting, sailing, festivals, and above all: an abundance of free space.

The Heritage and Culture section featured regional art and sculpture:

At first glance, a group of drawings by artist Rodger Willis offered a sober look on past events; adjoining texts revealed the subtle humor to visitors.

A series of translucent, fibreglass panels from Halifax artist Marjorie Lorain incorporated actual undersea plant life to provide a colorful portrayal of the ocean's resources.

Anne Roberts and John Corey demonstrated cultural diversity through a collection of dolls in delicately embroidered costumes, suspended above a map made from a variety of textiles.

One of the most striking sculptures at the Atlantic provinces pavilion was the Whale Wall. Designed and executed by Witold Kuryllowics and John Shreiber, this 30-foot "Viking ship" was made up of giant whale skulls and ribs found at Trinity Bay, Newfoundland.

The Whale Wall was part of a collection of other "found" sculptures which adorned the surrounding area of the pavilion: chains, cannons, a massive orange and red bell buoy, a huge 8-ton anchor...

During Expo, craftsmen built a 47-foot schooner in front of the pavilion, displaying the ship building tradition that flourished in the Atlantic Provinces.

During the pavilion's special day on October 11, 1967, the Atlantica was launched in the presence of the Atlantic province premiers. The wife of Montreal-mayor Jean Drapeau cracked the inaugural bottle of champagne on the ship's bow, to the cheer of the large crowd gathered.

One of the most popular attractions of the Atlantic provinces pavilion was its outstanding seafood restaurant and chowder bar. The glass-enclosed dining area offered a splendid view of Montreal's skyline. Visitors waited up to 5 hours to sample one of the 90 different seafood dishes being served, which included lobster, sole, crab and other specialties.

images: (1) alamedainfo.com
(2-10) Bill Dutfield via expo67.ncf.ca
(3) library and archives Canada
(4-5-6-9) personal collection
(7) Bill Cotter via expo67.ncf.ca
(8) courtesy DC Hillier

Electrohome's Perception Modules

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 18:33:00 +0000

Clairtone wasn't the only ultra-mod Canadian audio design in the 1960's.

In 1961, a Kitchener, Ontario-based company called Electrohome devised a modular high-end stereo system they named Perception Modules.

Designed by the John B. Parkin architectual firm, 7 standard size modules in 5 colors were available, offering literally hundreds of versatile (and re-arrangeable) configurations to suit any mod mood or groovy décor.

Quality craftsmanship and high-end electronics meant that Perception Modules sounded as good as they looked.

The Perception Module series:

1. Speaker Cabinet
2. Turntable Cabinet
3. 23" Television
4. Cellarette (i.e.: a bar supply cabinet!)
5. AM/FM Tuner
6. Stereo Amplifier
7. Intercom or Utility Cabinet

A tape recorder cabinet the same size as the Cellarette was also available, as were 3 sizes of metal bases (on legs) and 3 sizes of clip-on, room divider backs...

There were 5 fab finishes to choose from: Swedish Walnut, Sunburst Gold, Burnt Orange, Peacock Blue or off-white... I would have mixed both yellow and orange!

From the original catalog:

Perception Modules fit music into the scheme of modern living. Here we have presented only four ideas... Vertical for lodge or private club. Free standing as a room divider. Horizontal for the executive office. Built-in for the music room. But patterns and permutations are limited only by imagination.

Despite its forward thinking design and quality construction, Electrohome's Perception Modules were very expensive and sold poorly. Most of the modules were sent back to Electrohome to have their electronics recycled into more conventional home entertainment systems...

Special thanks to DC Hillier for images and info.

Inside the Expo-Express

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 17:47:00 +0000

Each Expo Express train could shuttle up to 1000 Expo 67 visitors at a time.

Check out these ultra-rare shots of the Expo Express at Expo 67, North America's first fully automated rapid transit system.

To avoid visitor uneasiness, operators from Montreal's transit union were placed at the front of the train to give the illusion that they were conducting the self-sufficient Expo Express. Operators performed mundane tasks, such as opening and closing the doors of the train, to reduce boredom.

According to Wikipedia, there was a minor incident involving an Expo Express operator during Expo 67... at the La Ronde station:

"The conductor had pressed the button to close the doors and proceed, but his train had already sensed an oncoming express from Île-Notre-Dame and automatically delayed the go command to let it roll in. In the meantime, the driver realized he had forgotten his lunch. However, he could not exit though the passenger doors because his train was in a "wait" state and would not allow the doors to open. Instead, he crawled through the small cab window. By the time he had fetched his lunch, however, the oncoming train had pulled in and his train had taken off on its own. It crossed the bridge over the Le Moyne Channel, proceeded along the seaway, and came to a smooth stop at Île-Notre-Dame station where an Expo official was waiting. This person crawled back through the cab window and pressed the button to open the doors and let the passengers disembark."

The interior of Expo Express, looking towards the front.

A front view of the train at Place d'Accueil terminal.

The system's control console seemed straight out of Star Trek... Beam me up!

images: wikipedia.org

Star Trek's Nurse Chapel

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 08:28:00 +0000

The soft-focus, platinum blonde loveliness of Nurse Chapel.

One of my favorite Star Trek ladies has always been Nurse Christine Chapel.

Nurse Chapel was played by Majel Barret, born Majel Leigh Hudec in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1932. In the 1950's and 60's, Barrett had secured bit parts in film and television before her stint as the USS Enterprise's competent but compassinate head nurse.

On contract at Lucille Ball's Desilu studios in the early 60's, Barrett had received comedy training from Ball herself, and appeared in The Lucy Show.

It was on the set of The Lieutenant in 1964 that Majel Barrett met Gene Roddenberry, father of the Star Trek franchise. The two became romantically involved, while Roddenberry was still married to his first wife.

Majel Barrett in her role as Number One.

During this time, Roddenberry was developing a pilot for what was to become Star Trek. Roddenberry chose Barrett (his mistress) to play Number One, the first officer of the Enterprise, in his initial pilot entitled "The Cage".

"The Cage" was initially rejected by NBC, but Roddenberry was given the chance to produce a second pilot. The network asked, however, that the steely Number One character be dropped, citing that audiences would never accept a woman being second-in-command of a ship. (The fact that Majel Barrett was Roddenberry's on-the-sly girlfriend didn't help, either...)

When Star Trek was picked up as a series in 1966, Barrett was given the role of Nurse Chapel. Like early episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Barrett donned a wig to dissociate herself from her previous role. She also went by the name "Majel Barrett" rather than "M. Leigh Hudec," as she had been credited in "The Cage".

Nurse Chapel appeared in 25 of the 79 original Star Trek episodes. Majel Barret also supplied the voice of the USS Enterprise's on-board computer.

Barrett and Roddenberry were married in August of 1969, two months after the final Star Trek episode was aired.

One of my favorite Star Trek episodes featuring Nurse Chapel is "The Naked Time", where a mysterious virus causes the crew to lose their inhibitions.

Afflicted by this illness, Nurse Chapel confesses her unrequited love for Mr. Spock... all while sporting a stunning sideswept, silver bouffant!

Check out the scene below:

images: (1) flickr.com
(2) acavill.com
(3) "The Naked Time" screen capture
(4) elevenfreakinthousand.com

PLB's Expo 67 T-Shirt

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:43:00 +0000

Hot on the heels of the fab Montréal t-shirt, designer Pier-Luk Bouthillier proposes another Montreal-themed design for PLB's fall 2010 collection.

This time, the inspiration is the ultimate symbol of 60's Montreal: Expo 67!

The t-shirt pays hommage to the groovy Pulp and Paper pavilion at Expo 67 (above), a structure in the form of a stylized forest.

While 1967 saw trees as little more than raw material destined for consumption, hindsight has taught us the importance of healthy forests: trees are living, breathing plants which remove unwanted greenhouse gases from the air, replacing them with life-sustaining oxygen.

PLB's design taps into the optimism and design aesthetic of Expo 67, making it relevant today. Organic cotton and water based inks complete the message.

And who better to model an Expo 67 t-shirt than yours truly...?

Click here to order.

images: (1-4) Bonnalie Brodeur, photographes
(2) PLB Design
(3) library and archives Canada

The Vienna Kindergarten

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 11:26:00 +0000

During Expo 67, some 3200 children attended the Vienna Kindergarten.

Located on Île-Sainte-Hélène near the China pavilion, the Vienna Kindergarten looked like a collection of giant red, green, yellow and brown building blocks with huge circular or half moon windows and skylights.

Sponsored by the city of Vienna, the building was designed by Karl Schwanzer, who was also responsible for the Austrian pavilion at Expo 67.

Pre-selected groups of 10 children, aged 3 to 6 and spanning all cultures, spent 2-week periods at the kindergarten. On a first-come, first serve basis, another 20 children could be accommodated daily, at an entry fee $2.50 per half-day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Using the Montessori method, the Vienna Kindergarten at Expo 67 was a replica of one of more than 200 in the Austrian capital. Under discreet supervision by multilingual Austrian teachers, children's creative processes and problem-solving abilities were nurtured through a fascinating variety of activities: painting, drawing, building... whatever struck their fancy.

Most importantly, it was the child who decided what to do and how to do it.

A miniature cooking area in the brightly-lit playroom included a low-heat stove with tiny saucepans where various edible mixtures could be prepared. A large sunken area was devoted to water, where children could happily splash themselves. A spacious grassy playground included a sandbox, swings, and various modern playground equipment.

images: (1-5) personal collection
(2) flickr.com
(3) Dixon Slide Collection (mcgill.ca)
(4) Bill Cotter Collection

"Montreal in the 60's"

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 12:40:00 +0000

Like The Memories of Angels, this fab little film by Jimmy Deschênes uses vintage NFB footage to capture the effervescence of Montreal in the 1960's.

My favorite part is the Expo 67 Monorail ride at the end of the film... Enjoy!

France Gall

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 19:12:00 +0000

French pop singer France Gall was born in Paris on October 9, 1947.

She was born Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall, daughter of Robert Gall, a French performer and producer famous for his work with such French music legends as Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour.

In 1963, at the age of 15, France Gall recorded her debut EP, "Ne sois pas si bête" under her father's guidance. The four-track record sold an impressive 200,000 copies in France, becoming a huge hit, thanks in part to its irresistible title-track and stunning cover photo. Though Gall's young voice was high, breathy and somewhat limited, she made the most of it, and her commercial appeal was immediate.

After a series of similarly successful records, France Gall entered the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Poupée de cire, poupée de son" (literally "doll of wax, doll of sound"). Written by Serge Gainsbourg (famous for his lyrical double entendres and wordplay), "Poupée de cire" could be interpreted as France Gall being "singing doll" controlled by others.

In 1966, another Gainsbourg-penned song called "Les sucettes" ("Lollipops") caused a veritable scandal for the young songstress. On the surface, it was a pretty little song about a girl enjoying lollipops, but the implied sexual innuendo was unmistakeable. Gall was too naïve to understand this double meaning at the time of recording, and "Sucettes" proved to be the beginning of the end of her collaborations with Serge Gainsbourg...

The following year, Roger Gall reasserted his presence in his daughter's career by producing a psychedelic album simply titled "1968". Arguably her best from the period, the album borrowed heavily from British psychedelia, immersing France's perky voice in kitschy Sgt. Pepper-esque musical arrangements...

images: (1-8) flickr.com
(2) wikipedia.org
(3-5-6) "Les Années Philips 1963-1968" cover art
(4) playitasitlays.net
(7) thetruevinerecordshop.com
(9) digilander.libero.it

Expo 67 Special Passes

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:42:00 +0000

A general press pass was to be on Yves "at all times while on Expo 67 property".

As director of public relations at Expo 67, Yves Jasmin had certain privileges and special accesses during the summer of '67.

A number of special passes identified Yves and ensured these privileges.

Click on the images to see both sides of the cards.

"Lock your car" was inscribed on the back of this parking pass.

This pass granted free entry to the Expo 67 site for Yves and his guests.

An admission pass to the Air Canada pavilion and its lounge.

Yves' Automotive Stadium press pass did not necessarily "entitle him to a seat".

Yves' Expo Club membership card was "not valid for credit".

images: private collection

My Expo Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 14:04:00 +0000

An elaborate botanic display in the heart of Pudong, Shanghai's financial district.

From May 8th to the 22nd, I lived out a dream: visiting a real world's fair.

We arrived in Shanghai, China Sunday evening, May 9th. Already in our first moments off the plane, we were greeted by a "Welcome to Shanghai and Expo 2010" display in the airport. As we soon found out, billboards, posters and signs advertising Shanghai's Expo were omnipresent throughout the city. One cannot visit Shanghai this summer and not be aware of Expo 2010.

Our first visit to the fair itself was Monday morning, May 10th. I had high expectations: China's first ever world expo has been touted as one of the biggest in history... and as we saw with the 2008 Olympics, when China decides to host the world, they go all out.

While Expo 67 was accessible from 2 entrances, Expo 2010 was designed with no less than 8. We arrived via the West Gaoke Road Metro station, on the newly built line 6 subway, conveniently located on the same line as our hotel. Although each entrance at Expo 2010 was equipped to handle huge crowds, the security measures (similar to those in airports) meant that waiting was inevitable. Our first in a long series of lineups...

The imposing China pavilion.

China's inverted pyramid was by far the largest and most imposing pavilion at Expo 2010. Visible from way off-site, it was the first Expo structure I saw on that first day. The first pavilion I visited was the Nepal pavilion.

Over 2 weeks, I visited Expo 2010 a total of 10 times. Some of my most memorable national pavilions were India, Israel, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy. European pavilions were generally quite sought after, as Europe is considered exotic in China. Lineups were long for these pavilions, but they did not disappoint.

The India pavilion roof was an intricate dome of herbs and copper.

The Israel pavilion featured an ultra-modern video presentation.

Germany's bold pavilion had a 2 or 3 hour lineup at any given time.

Visiting the UK pavilion was like walking through a huge, modern chandelier.

Italy's pavilion showcased its refined culture and advanced technologies.

The Urban Planet theme pavilion presented an urgent environmental appeal.

Strong environmental messages sought to invoke action upon the visitors of Expo 2010's theme pavilions, which explored in-depth the "Better City Better Life" theme. They were truly inspiring.

Corporate pavilions such as the GM pavilion and the Information and Communication pavilion had optimistic displays showcasing the fascinating technologies of tomorrow. "The future" has always been a popular subject at world expos.

I enjoyed these theme and corporate pavilions as much as the national ones.

This theme-pavilion hallway was like something out of Star Trek.

The GM pavilion invited visitors to "Take a Drive to 2030".

The Information and Communication pavilion gleamed in the sunlight.

The German pavilion served typical Deutsch food and drink. I went twice!

The food at Expo 2010 was as diverse as it was fabulous: a vast majority of pavilions served fare from all over the world.

Our first meal on-site was a delicious curry dish as the India pavilion restaurant, followed by refreshing frozen mango lassis.

Traditional sausages and beer pleased our palates at the German pavilion restaurant on another occasion, and a chic dinner at the Swiss pavilion was the end of yet another day of pavilion visiting.

Naturally, Asian food of all sorts was available everywhere, while KFC was the western fast food of choice. We saw dozens of KFC outlets all throughout our trip; there was one around the corner from our hotel and at 5 on the Expo site itself...!

The Italian pavilion restaurant had 2 seperate sections: buffet or à la carte.

An autograph and a photo with Gerald Tremblay.

The mayor of Montreal Gerald Tremblay was visiting Shanghai and Expo 2010 the same week that we were. We were fortunate enough to be invited to a cocktail party hosted by Montreal expats now residing in Shanghai... where the mayor himself was present. I took the opportunity to shake hands with the Mr. Tremblay, and asked for a photo and autograph...!

The entire Expo 2010 site was especially beautiful lit up at night.

Click on the mosaic above to see more photos from Expo 2010.

The pavilion of Spain chose "From the City of Our Parents to the City of Our Children" as its central theme. To illustrate the "children" aspect, a 6.5-meter giant motorised baby was installed in the final exhibition hall.

Below is my video footage of this striking (and albeit, creepy) display:

images: authors own

Bonjour, Shanghai

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Sat, 08 May 2010 03:08:00 +0000

In a few short hours, my journey to Shanghai, China and Expo 2010 will begin. A real world exhibition will be unfolding before my eyes... I can't wait!

image montage by author

Kentucky Fried Chicken Catalog, 1974

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Stockl) — Mon, 03 May 2010 11:18:00 +0000

A spectacular revolving bucket sign, with flashing arrow.

The first Kentucky Fried Chicken opened in 1952, in South Salt Lake, Utah.

Harland Sanders had been serving his fried chicken since 1930 at a gas station he owned in North Corbin, Kentucky. Named Sanders Court & Café, the dining room was so successful that in 1936, the Kentucky Governor at the time granted Sanders the title of honorary Kentucky Colonel.

In the 1950s, upon the success of Sanders Court & Café, the Colonel began franchising his recipe, travelling across the U.S. from restaurant to restaurant cooking batches of chicken. By the early 1960s, Kentucky Fried Chicken was sold in over 600 franchised outlets in both the United States and Canada.

Throughout the 60's and 70's, franchising remained the foundation of Kentucky Fried Chicken's business. For an initial $3,000 fee, a franchisee went to KFC University to learn all the basics.

While typical costs for a complete Kentucky Fried Chicken start-up ran close to $65,000, some franchisees quickly became millionaires. Tying together a national image, KFC began developing pre-fabricated red-and-white striped buildings to appeal to tourists and residents in the United States.

The images presented here are from a 1974 catalog destined to franchisees. Owners could order food packaging, equipment and supplies, recipe ingredients; everything from fryers to freezers... as well as the aforementioned pre-fabricated restaurant!

Regular or Jumbo?

The classic bucket with side-order containers.

Interesting to note, Kentucky Fried Chicken's ubiquitous paper bucket was originally created by Wendy's founder Dave Thomas. Thomas was a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchisee in the early days, operating several outlets in the Columbus, Ohio, before going on to open his own fast food chain in 1969. Thomas' reasoning behind using paper packaging was that it helped keep the chicken crispy by wicking away excess moisture.

During the 60's, Dave Thomas worked with Colonel Sanders on many projects to make KFC more profitable and to give it brand recognition. It was Thomas that suggested that Sanders himself appear in Kentucky Fried Chicken commercials. He was also responsible for the creation of the famous rotating bucket sign that came to be the symbol of Kentucky Fried Chicken...

Styrofoam salad containers.

Hot and cold beverage containers.

Male employees wore paper caps, while the ladies donned fab KFC tiaras...!

Sales Hostess Fashions were available in up to size 22... Yowsah!

Boost your restaurant's sales by ordering... an entire new building!

images: personal collection