World Expos and Their Impact on Cities
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https://doi.org/10.24306/TrAESOP.2026.02.007Published
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Copyright (c) 2026 Javier Ostos-Prieto
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Expo ’92, Mega-Event, Seville, Urban Complexity Theories, Urban temporalityAbstract
World Expos take place in cities worldwide. They offer visions of the future and act as catalysts for urban transformation. Despite their ambitions, these events remain inherently temporary, lasting only three to four months. This paper asks how the Expo format engages with urban dynamics through temporary intervention strategies. It explores the relationship that exists between ephemerality and permanence by examining how temporal complexity shapes urban space at World Expos. It does so with a focus on Expo ’92 in Seville. Using a critical comparative analysis of theoretical understanding of time, the paper evaluates their effects at the urban scale. The temporal distance since 1992 allows an assessment of the long-term urban legacy of a shortterm global event.
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