EXHIBITOR MAGAZINE'S WORLD EXPO AWARDS BEST EXHIBIT/DISPLAY: USA PAVILION

GUEST EDITOR'S CHOICE

DESIGN: Alchemy, BRC Imagination Arts, Trahan Architects

FABRICATION: BeWunder, ES Global / Alchemy, True Staging

Presenting America as a narrative adventure, the USA Pavilion set a spirit of imagination and innovation at the center of its story. Visible from throughout the Grand Ring encircling the Expo, the pavilion anchored around a translucent cube that appeared as if suspended in air, flanked by two triangular buildings. Giant LED screens broadcast scenes of American landscapes as guests waited in snaking lines to begin a journey through time and space, in an experience encompassing more than 32,000 square feet.

Designed to evoke a sense of intrigue from the first steps, a dynamic layout highlighted the potential for progress under a unifying theme of “Imagine What We Can Create Together,” an idea so compelling that the pavilion was awarded a Guest Editor's Choice Award from Chetan Fernandes who said, “All senses were engaged to create a lasting experience.”

Kinetic and contemplative elements included lighting effects layered over a musical score and historical NASA footage. A moonlike ambiance with a neon glow cast over photos of lunar landers built by Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines.

The “Altitudes of Observation” exhibit visualized life from the Ocean's trenches to the International Space Station. A model Artemis rocket introduced efforts to land and sustain humanity on the Moon. ICON's 3D-printed technology exemplified the versatility of automatic robotic systems. A tribute to the James Webb Space Telescope captured the awe of deep space.

And holding up historic success as inspiration for the future, there was a piece of the Moon on display — an artifact from the final mission of NASA's Apollo program and a nod to the Moon rock from an earlier Apollo mission celebrated in Osaka at the 1970 World Expo.

The walk through space culminated in the pavilion's suspended cube where visitors experienced Launch, an immersive recreation of a NASA rocket launch. Attendees stood surrounded by LED screen displays and atmospheric smoke as they took a visual journey from Earth to the moon to galaxies beyond. Jumping from screen to screen, Spark — an animated red, white, and blue star — served as a multilingual mascot symbolizing the energy that drives imagination.

“The spark behind this immersive world hit us right away,” said one judge. “Among the stars, the creative design and storytelling inspired hope and excitement for future exploration.”

By Exhibitor magazine: Linda Armstrong, Sean Carlson, Danelle Dodds, Emily Olson, Nancy Olson, and Charles Pappas