10 THECUBAREVIEW 



THE NATIONAL EXPOSITION OF PANAMA 



The Re])ul>lic of Panama will open this exposition in Panama City on November 3rd. 

 The date, November 3rd, is the twelfth anniversary of the establishment of the present Re- 

 public of Panama. The official designation of this enterprise is the "National Exposition of 

 Panama" commemorative of the dis covery of the South Seas, therefore, this event is also a 

 tribute to the memory of Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the famous discoverer of the Pacific Ocean. 



The exhibition grounds are seventy acres in extent in the northern part of the city over- 

 looking the Pacific, and there are to be eight exhibition buildings, a stadium, a plaza, a grand 

 parkway, and a concourse and patio at the water side. The building to be occupied by the 

 Republic of Cuba has beea completed and we are al)le to show some excellent photographs 

 of the edifice. This liuilding reflects great credit on the part of the Cuban Government, 

 the designer and the comijanv that constructed it. The following is a detailed description 

 of the building: 



Description of the "Pabellon de Cuba" at the " Exposicion Nacional" of Panama City 



The building erected l)y the Cul)an Government on the grounds of the Panama National 

 Exposition is one of four buildings of a permanent type and is constructed of a substantially 

 designed reinforced concrete frame of columns and l)eains with ])aneLs or cm-tain walls of 

 brickwork plastered on both sides. 



The type of architecture selected by the Cuban. Engineer who drew up the plans is Greek- 

 Doric, and the front portico is a typical example of this beautiful, but at the same time, simple 

 style of architecture. 



The m.ain building is somewhat modified in order to suit the taste and requuements of the 

 Cuban people, and the tyi^ical Cuban balconies figure in front of all the doors on the second 

 floor. 



Passing through the portal and entering the building by the massive front door ef solid 

 mahogany, one enters into a large "salon" \\ ith numerous square columnsof solid concrete which 

 support the second floor, and is confronted by a beautiful stairway, also of mahogany, which 

 leads up to the second floor. This large "salon" is to receive the exhibits which the Cuban 

 Government will send to the Exposition, and afterwards will be used as a permanent musei m of 

 Cuban products and industries. The floor in this "salon," as well as that of the entrance 

 portico, is paved \\ ith tiles of a beautiful pattern which were manufactured in Cuba expressly- 

 for this building. Ample lighting is afforded by means of large windows and doors all around, 

 and high-power electric bullis in bronze fixtures and frosted globes will furnish very efficient 

 illumination by night. 



The second floor is arranged with all the necessary rooms and requuments for the resi- 

 dential cjuarters of the Cul)an Minister and his family, and will be used as such after the ex- 

 position is closed. 



The most striking featm-e of this floor is the beautiful Mosaic tiling with which all of the 

 rooms, balconies and corridors are floored. 



The designs of the stau- hall landing, "Gran salon de Actos,"or reception room, and the 

 dining room are particularly rich and imitate as nearly as possible the pattern of aPersian rug. 

 The four rooms dedicated for the use of the Minister and his secretary are tiled with a very 

 appropriate design, as also are all of the living rooms and the interior balcony around the large 

 covered "patio," which gives the interior of the i>uilding a decidedly Spanish air. 



Access to the large flat roof is obtained through a spiral stairway situated at the back of 

 the building, and from this roof a most beautiful panorama of the City of Panama and the 

 Pacific Ocean spreads before the spectator. 



The exterior coloring is very effective and shows off to the best advantage the pilasters with 

 their capitals and the Greek moulding which encircles the entire building in two bands under- 

 neath the graceful cornices which mark, the second flcor and roof levels. 



The building was designed by Dr. Ramon Gaston, C. E., of Habana, and the construction 

 was performed by Messrs. R. W. Hebard & Co., Inc., of New York and Panama. 



