The design of the Dutch pavilion at Expo is not only eye-catching but also strikes exactly the right note. The facade is dominated by two enormous images in Delft Blue, while bunches of tulips project from the sides. One of the motifs is the ‘Liefde’, the first Dutch ship to reach Japan, 405 years ago. The other is an interpretation of Ruysdael’s painting ‘The windmill at Wijk bij Duurstede’. This concept is based on a clear philosophy, says Gerard de Gorter of Totems, Hoofddorp, the company that designed the pavilion. “Japanese visitors are no different to Europeans. They want to see as many pavilions as possible in the shortest possible time. It was therefore important to choose a form that enables visitors to recognise the country immediately. We looked for the Dutch icons that are most familiar to the Japanese. They turned out to be Delft Blue and tulips.”

Tradition versus modernity
The Delft Blue theme recurs in the interior. The walls are formed by a 160 m² tableau made of tiles, on which Amsterdam canal houses are painted. The tableau is a co-production by Royal Mosa, Maastricht, which supplied the tiles, and Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles, Delft, which painted them. When Mosa was approached for the tiles, it suggested supplying the floor tiles too. “The pavilion is intended to demonstrate the contrast between Dutch tradition and the Netherlands today. Once inside, therefore, visitors are shown a modern multi-media presentation about Dutch technology. We wanted our tiles to highlight this contrast between the facade and the interior presentation”, explains Arthur Thomaes, Mosa’s Chief Operating Officer. “The wall tiles stand for tradition, while the floor tiles stand for the application of modern techniques.”
The two tiles form a contrast in terms of both format (traditional 15 x 15 on the walls, modern 60 x 60 on the floor) and workmanship. While the painted scenes on the wall tiles symbolise the virtues of traditional Dutch craftsmanship, the wall tiles are the embodiment of technological innovation. They were produced with integrated LED lighting, a technique with which Mosa won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award this year. The floor tiles extend a short distance outside. They are hard-wearing and therefore suitable for surfaces where there is a lot of foot traffic; they have an anti-slip profile for outdoor applications.

Specialist custom work
Mosa made the wall tiles as a special custom order for the Expo. The company is one of the few in the world that can supply a product is such small quantities. Mosa has its own design and development atelier with ten employees. Moreover, the production lines can be used to make small series. The company has become a specialist in high quality custom work. “We can supply unique tiles that will never be used anywhere else when an architect wants a project to carry his own signature”, says Thomaes.
As Mosa can execute custom work, it can also satisfy specific technical demands. For instance, the wall tiles in the Dutch pavilion needed a glaze with a special composition and a specific heating curve in the kiln. This combination was necessary to ensure the best possible adhesion of the ceramic paint on the flattest possible tile. After being painted in Delft, the tiles were shipped to Japan as panels. They had to be perfectly flat in order to exclude any risk of breakage.

Niche in the market
The Dutch pavilion in Aichi attracts four to six thousand visitors each day. Mosa is proud that its product is such a prominent focus of attention. The company has been approached by various Japanese media wanting to know more about Mosa and its tiles. Thomaes has also observed that demand for Mosa products in Japan has increased since the opening of the Expo. “Our contribution to the Expo shows that with the right approach, you can also be successful in a country such as Japan. Through our custom work, we can fill a niche in the Japanese market too.”