The Jury was impressed by the brilliance of the concept, a bold dramatic gesture created by the single large form almost floating over the site - although several members of the Jury expressed serious reservations about the validity of this concept in its context. The sculpture, beautifully sited with regard to axial views, could create through its shifting density and transparencies and its infinite potential for lighting effects at night, a great attraction and a memorable image for the "Place du Canada".
The Jury admired the architectural skill shown in the planar composition of site terraces, the masterful modelling of site levels, the handling of sculptural form and the effective use of light and water. They commented favourably on the functional excellence demonstrated in the handling of crowd circulation, access to site from all sides and the flexibility and adaptability of exhibition spaces provided.
Rather weak monochromatic presentation and lack of adequate detailed information created in the Jury's mind serious doubt about the credibility of this proposal. Despite the warning at the end of Stage I, the competitor did not provide reassurance to the Jury on problems of structural stability, feasibility, noise and nuisances such as water drips, raised by the sculpture. Insufficient detail was provided to obtain a reasonably reliable cost analysis and hence different interpretations resulted in wide cost estimate variations, all of them far beyond the allowable budget figure.
As the whole site is in fact a series of roofs on which people walk, technical problems of waterproofing exist that could only be solved at great expense. At the same time, since the paving area is so vast, surfacing materials comparable to the high standards of Japanese landscaping become very important as a design factor. In addition, the finish on the concrete walls is important because it will be seen at close range. All these considerations present many alternative choices and a very wide range of costs. The underground building as shown is already over budget without the sculpture and there appears to be little assurance that the Project would not escalate in cost significantly during development.
The Jury noted that this design shows the whole adjacent plaza as an extension of the terracing system and further notes that, if this design were considered without this extension, it considerably diminishes the effect. While the Jury was in agreement that some control of the landscaped approaches around the site was highly desirable and the Sponsor should try to achieve it, it also felt that this assumption of control by the competitor over a substantial area outside the site and dependence on it for the total effect was unrealistic in the extreme and raises further doubts as to the validity of the design.
In the opinion of several members of the Jury this design, because the pavilion is underground and in effect invisible, weakens Canada's identity and presence in Osaka - a situation which is not satisfactorily offset by the soaring overhead sculpture.
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