Evolution


Evolution of Unisphere as Theme Center

Inception, 1960
Original Unisphere Conception
The concept had called for Unisphere to rotate on its base but that scheme was deemed impractical. By the time the Fair's symbol was announced, water jets obscured the base so that Unisphere would appear to "float" above its reflecting pool. The Equator and Tropic rings were obviously larger than the other latitudes. Lights whirled about the orbitals.
Refined, 1961

Refined Unisphere Conception
By 1961 the design had been modified to one much closer to the armillary sphere that was eventually constructed. A tripod base supports the structure in a large, circular pool and fountains placed away from the base rise and fall in a circular pattern suggesting movement. Special lighting effects also suggest movement.
Clarke & Rapuano's concept of the Main Mall

Clarke & Rapuano's Concept
Clarke and Rapuano's gorgeous concept artwork appeared in 1962. Looking up the Fair's Main Mall from the Court of the Astronauts to Unisphere, this artwork is the closest concept of what the Main Mall and Unisphere would eventually look like when the Fair opened in 1964. The Clarke and Rapuano artwork served as the basis for the Postal Department's commemorative stamp issue for the Fair.

Evolution of the Fair's Logo

The New York World's Fair logo changed as the design of Unisphere was refined. Prior to Unisphere being selected as the Theme Center, the Fair utilized an orbiting earth and "Big Dipper" logo to represent "Man's Achievements in an Expanding Universe," one of the oft-repeated themes of the Fair. After Unisphere was announced as Theme Center the logo, used between 1961 and late 1962, reflected the design of the symbol as conceived; Unisphere appears with no base and actual satellites orbit it. The final logo depicted a stylized Unisphere as it would appear at the Fair, complete with a base and simple orbit rings.

Logo, c. 1960
Logo, 1960
Logo, c. 1961-1962

Logo 1961-1962
Logo, c. 1963-1972

Logo 1962-1972

Evolution of Pavilion Designs

More than 160 fabulous structures rose from the grounds of Flushing Meadow Park between 1962 and 1964. The pavilions that hosted millions of visitors at the Fair were often not the same structures that had been originally conceived. Budget cutbacks, impracticalities and relocation to other sites on the Fairgrounds resulted in numerous changes. Some pavilions were dramatically different from the architect's original conception.


Panama - Panama and Central America
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 4
January 17, 1962
Panama Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 9
September 26, 1963
Panama Final

Federal Pavilion
The New York World's Fair Corporation had hoped that the Federal Government would construct a major science pavilion for the Fair. To be called the Franklin National Center of Science and Education, the huge circular domed building would have occupied all of Kennedy Circle. The eventual design was called the "square doughnut."
 
Proposed Design
 
Source: US World's Fair Commission Report, December 1960

Federal Concept

Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 7
January 24, 1963

Federal Final


Eastman Kodak
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 5
May 17, 1962
Kodak Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 7
January 24, 1963
Kodak Final

Thailand
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 6
September 12, 1962
Thailand Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 7
January 24, 1963
Thailand Final

Minnesota
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 8
April 22, 1963
Minnesota Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Operations Manual
Minnesota Final

Transportation and Travel
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 4
January 17, 1962
T&T Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 7
April 22, 1963
T&T Final

Coca-Cola
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 2
May 8, 1961
Coca-Cola Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 9
September 26, 1963
Coca-Cola Final

Simmons Beautyrest Pavilion
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 4
January 17, 1962
Simmons Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 7
April 22, 1963
Simmons Final

Electric Companies - "Tower of Light"
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 4
September 14, 1961
Tower of Light Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 5
May 17, 1962
Tower of Light Final

Wisconsin
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 9
September 26, 1963
Wisconsin Concept
Final Design
 
Source: PRUDEN PRODUCTS CO., Evansville, Wisconsin, advertising copy
Wisconsin Final

Pakistan
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 7
April 22, 1963
Pakistan Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 9
September 26, 1963
Pakistan Final

DuPont
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 4
September 14, 1961
DuPont Concept
Final Design
 
Source DuPont Magazine, March-April, 1964,
Volume 58, No. 2
DuPont Final

Florida
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 5
May 17, 1962
Florida Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 9
September 26, 1963
Florida Final

World's Fair Assembly Pavilion
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 7
April 22, 1963
World's Fair Pavilion Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 9
September 26, 1963
World's Fair Pavilion Final

Gas Companies
The original design of the Gas Companies Pavilion called for glass curtains to extend from the top of the parasol to the second level. Economics predicated that this be changed to air curtains.
 
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 8
April 22, 1963
Gas Companies Concept
Final Design
 
Source: Commercial Transparency by Photo Lab, Inc.,
Washington, DC

Gas Companies Final


Liebmann Breweries - Rheingold Beer
The original design of the Rheingold Pavilion, by architects Kahn and Jacobs, featured a 60-foot-high beer garden atop concrete stilts and platforms supported by cantilevered aluminum trusses. A glass-walled elevator took visitors from the ground level to the platforms of the $2 million structure. They "Gay-nineties" street scene that was constructed was, perhaps, a bit more inviting.
 
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: Unknown, contribution of John Loughead
Rheingold Concept
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 8
April 22, 1963

Rheingold Final


Westinghouse
Corporate design pioneer Eliot Noyes championed the integration of architecture, branding, and graphic design. Beginning in 1960, he was retained by Westinghouse to remake their corporate identity, and this model shows the first iteration of the company's pavilion for the 1964 New York World's Fair.
 
The building is designed to contain eight major exhibits, each contained in a globe forty-five feet in diameter. The eight spheres surround a central lobby, and moving sidewalks carry the viewer from one exhibit to another. For reasons of economy, this scheme was not built.
 
Proposed Design
 
SOURCE: © Eliot Noyes Industrial Design
Eliot Noyes Westinghous Design
Final Design
 
SOURCE: NY World's Fair Progress Report No. 8
April 22, 1963

Final Westinghouse Design

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