The plans for the Expo began to develop shortly after the closing of the WIG 64 held a decade earlier.

An area on the south side of town that had once served as a recording field for silent films was ideally suited to create a large park.

In 1969, architect Erich Hanke won an international design competition.

He then formed several working groups of landscape architects from various countries, who made different designs for parts of the site.

A monorail was built to transport the visitors, but was eventually scrapped due to lack of success.