Royal Festival Hall seen from Hungerford Bridge.
View from ground level of portion of Dome showing where aluminium sheet roof has been partly completed.
THE STORY
British contributions to civilisation have resulted from a combination of two forces-the initiative of the People and the resources of their Land. The Exhibition will show that this combination is as potent and creative a force as ever and that the future of Britain is well founded on the continuing achievements of her scientists, industrialists, technologists and designers.
The background against which manufactured goods and scientific displays will be shown will be the living, working world of to-day, a particular aspect of which gives the title to each pavilion. Thus, displays and exhibits will not, as has happened in other exhibitions, be grouped in sections devoted exclusively to particular trades, industries or sciences.
HOW THE STORY WILL BE TOLD
No exhibition of British achievement, however, can omit our preeminence as explorers and discoverers whether in the mapping and charting of the globe, in exploring the heavens or in investigating the structure and nature of the universe, Developments and applications resulting from such discoveries are also an essential part of the story.
This remarkable story will be told within the most strik- ing building in the Exhibition. This is the Dome of Discovery. the largest dome in the world, with a diameter of 365 ft. and a height of 97 ft. Its material, aluminium, will be as typical of this generation as was sheetglass and castiron of the 1850's, and its shape and construction will be as arresting in 1951 as was the Crystal Palace a hundred years ago. Power and Production (No. 8 on key map).
This large pavilion will take the story from raw materials to finished products. It will display the harnessing of power.
View of part of interior of the Dome when under construc- tion; the picture shows roof structure just prior to covering with aluminium sheeting.
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View showing Dome of Discovery with arch ribs ready to support aluminium roof. In foreground is steel construc- tion for Transport Pavilion.
the uses and processing of metals, the structure of British industry and the role of research, design and management in the modern industrial organisation. The section will cutline the wide scope and achievement of British industries not by the display of any one in its entirety but by the selection of outstanding processes, machinery and techniques from several groups of industries. Craftsmen will be seen at work demonstrating British skill and workmanship. The section will close with displays of goods to show the range and high standards of quality and design of British manufactured goods ready for export in British ships.
The Dome of Discovery (No. 11 on key map).
The story to be told in the Dome of Discovery is British pre-eminence in discovery and exploration, not only by land and sea but into the very nature of the living world and the universe. Thus, ranged alongside the achievements of such men as Cook and Livingstone will be displayed the discoveries of British scientists such as Newton, Darwin, Faraday, Thomson and Rutherford, without which so much that is illustrated elsewhere in the Exhibition would not have been possible.
Homes and Gardens (No. 24 on key map).
The title of this pavilion speaks for itself. It will show that although many of our housing problems stem from over- crowding on a small island, their solution must suit each individual family. In particular, this section will suggest new ways of using small living space to the greatest advantage, in which architects will offer practical solutions to problems encountered in dual-purpose rooms such as the kitchen-dining room, the bed-sitting room and the nursery which grows up with the child. The section will also cover home entertainment and entertaining, the place of the radio and television in the home, the enjoyment of hobbies and pets, and the making of gardens and backyards.
New Schools (No. 33 on key map).
This section will show the kind of buildings, furniture and equipment being designed for schools and universities. Emphasis will be on nursery, primary and secondary schools and exhibits will include fully equipped classrooms, and specialist equipment for laboratories, craftrooms and work- shops.
The Shot Tower (No. 31 on key map).
This London landmark, which lies within the Downstream area, will be incorporated in the Exhibition. Its base will contain a small display on the history and future development of the South Bank of the Thames. Visitors will not be able to climb the tower but its summit will be used as a lighthouse and to mount the umbrella-shaped aerial of a radio telescope. This 30 foot diameter aerial will be rotated by remote control
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