Hosted by the Junta Metropolitana de Lisboa at the Belem Cultural Centre. The European Spatial Planning Perspective (ESDP) was about to be published, and the meeting initiated METREX involvement with European affairs. There were presentations on the strategic planning of Lisboa and Berlin. The first METREX open dialogue was held on Restructuring Metropolitan Areas for the 21st century. A study visit to the site of the World Expo 98 (to be held from May to October 1998) initiated the METREX interest in planning for major events. The Expo covered 600ha and was the largest construction site in Europe at the time. Long-term facilities included a multi-modal transport interchange, an Oceanarium, a multi-purpose event venue, an Exhibition Centre and a Museum. The Expo organisation remained in being until 2005 to ensure the after-use of the site.
