Wembley isn't merely a sports stadium; it's a groundbreaking architectural vision and a daring exploration in the annals of construction history.
The British Empire Exhibition of 1924, held at Wembley in London, was a groundbreaking event that showcased the nation's architectural prowess. Despite the passage of a century, the exhibition remains significant as a pioneering adventure into the potential of concrete as a building material.
The main buildings and exhibition layout were designed by John W. Simpson, Maxwell Ayrton, and Owen Williams. Concrete construction was used for the main structures due to its longevity and the shortage of bricks and bricklayers after the war. The Twin Towers, an iconic feature of the exhibition, were a testament to Williams' expertise in reinforced concrete and aeronautical engineering.
The Palace of Arts, a hub of cultural exhibitions, featured an extremely popular suite of six period rooms, starting from the 1750s and ending with rooms from 1924. Highlights included a sculpture of the Prince of Wales made of Canadian butter, a subterranean reconstruction of the tomb of Tutankhamun, and Queen Mary's Dolls' House designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Meanwhile, Joseph Emberton, a young architect, gained recognition for his innovative advertising kiosks at Wembley Exhibition. His designs, such as the Sharps's toffee kiosk and the domed Oxo pavilion, were praised for their use of brand identities to create unique structures. Emberton's front for the Nobel Industries Hall was highly acclaimed as the best thing in the Palace of Industry.
The British Government Pavilion, widely acknowledged as the site's highest architectural achievement, was built using timber formwork and took eight months to construct. Unfortunately, it was not granted statutory protection by the mid 1970s, despite a local campaign to save it.
Sir Lawrence Weaver, director of UK exhibits and former Architectural Editor of the platform, played a pivotal role in the exhibition's success. He persuaded exhibitors to move away from the layout of internal streets and won acceptance for the idea that displays should be designed by trained architects. Under his guidance, the Palace of Industry delivered a new artistic unity, with each product section having its own hall accessed through a decorative portico.
The exhibition saw the participation of 78 governments, with 1,000 exhibitors in the Palace of Engineering and 800 more in the Palace of Industry. Wembley Stadium, first hosted the football cup final in 1923, was one of the most enduring structures from the exhibition.
The Wembley Exhibition attracted eighteen million visitors between April and November 1924 and reopened in 1925 to recoup costs. The designs for the Palace of Arts were chosen in a competition organised by the platform, with several prominent architects participating.
Emberton's work around the Wembley Exhibition site was prolific, and his designs were praised by Sir Lawrence Weaver. Emberton's success at Wembley led him to represent England in America at the 1932 International Exhibition of Modern Architecture in New York with his Royal Corinthian Yacht Club at Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex.
A century later, the imperial vision promoted by the Wembley Exhibition may seem outdated. However, the event's impact on the use of concrete in architecture and the British architectural scene cannot be understated. The Wembley Exhibition of 1924 remains a significant milestone in British architectural history.
