Osaka, Japan. Image © cowardlion via Shutterstock

Expo 2025 Osaka

The ArchDaily full coverage, featuring news, interviews, and pavilions presented at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan

Designing the Future, Again: What the 55-Year Return of the World Expo to Osaka Reveals

Designing the Future, Again: What the 55-Year Return of the World Expo to Osaka Reveals

The 2025 Osaka Expo has captured widespread attention—not only for its architectural ambition and spectacle, but also for breaking records and generating controversy. Its most iconic feature, a monumental timber ring designed by Sou Fujimoto, has already made headlines as a Guinness World Record-breaking wooden structure. Built on the reclaimed island of Yumeshima, the site has attracted praise and critique in equal measure.  Beyond its awe-inspiring 2-kilometer circumference—parts of which extend dramatically over the water—the structure has also drawn concerns, including questions about health & safety, extreme heat, and swarms of insects that may affect the visitor experience.

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The World’s Largest Wooden Architectural Structure: Explore Sou Fujimoto’s Grand Ring at Expo 2025 Osaka Through the Lens of Stephane Aboudaram

The World’s Largest Wooden Architectural Structure: Explore Sou Fujimoto’s Grand Ring at Expo 2025 Osaka Through the Lens of Stephane Aboudaram

Expo 2025 officially opened its doors on April 13, 2025, on Yumeshima, a reclaimed island in Osaka Bay. Held under the theme "Designing Future Society for Our Lives," the event brings together over 150 countries and international organizations to address pressing global challenges through architecture, technology, and design. At the center of the Expo grounds stands the Grand Ring, a monumental circular structure designed by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto. Spanning approximately 2 kilometers in circumference and rising to 20 meters in height, the timber structure encircles the main exhibition area and was recognised by Guinness World Records as "The largest wooden architectural structure". 

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Expo 2025 Osaka Pavilion null² / Noiz Architects

Expo 2025 Osaka Pavilion null² / Noiz Architects

NOIZ has recently completed the architectural design of "null²," one of eight Signature Pavilions at Expo 2025 Osaka, produced by researcher/media artist Yoichi Ochiai. The Signature Pavilions have been planned as the thematic core of the current Expo, assigned to selected Japanese researchers and creators. The steel frame architecture is covered with metallic membranes that waver with the wind and reflect its surroundings, resembling a digital landscape in a futuristic physical world.

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On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions

On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions

What can a pavilion’s architecture reveal about its country? At major World Expos, national pavilions are designed to answer this question, transforming into spaces laden with symbolism. Though temporary, these structures are rich in meaning, functioning as architectural expressions of political identity. Their forms and materials encapsulate national ambitions. Expo Osaka 2025, the latest chapter in this ongoing narrative, showcases how nations increasingly use built space to construct global images of themselves—sustainable, technological, culturally distinct, and geopolitically relevant.

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Luxembourg Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka / STDM architectes

Luxembourg Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka / STDM architectes

The Luxembourg pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka is both welcoming and intriguing. It is a shady resting place amid the hustle and bustle, inviting to discover and offering an unexpected, invigorating, and stimulating journey through the many facets of Luxembourg. The Luxembourg pavilion is located in the part of the Expo 2025 Site that takes up the theme 'Connecting Lives'. It is made up of three characteristic elements corresponding to the three themes of the Expo 2025 Event: *'Designing future society', the general theme of the expo, a single project, the uniqueness of what we all have in common, we all share the same Earth, represented by a single roof covering the whole pavilion. It is the project of the Luxembourg nation that radiates and communicates beyond its borders. *'Connecting lives', the theme of this part of the Expo 2025 Site, is a diversity of volumes of different sizes and heights that represent the multicultural community of Luxembourg and form an artificial landscape. *'Connectivity' is the theme of the pavilion, which takes the land as a common good, the Luxembourg territory, and its unique traditions that bind its inhabitants together. A walk through this stylised landscape invites the visitor to discover and experience life in Luxembourg.

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Atelier Brückner Completes the Uzbekistan Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025

Atelier Brückner Completes the Uzbekistan Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025

Uzbekistan has revealed the latest photographs of the pavilion for Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, after the recent opening. Designed by Atelier Brückner and realized by NUSSLI, the pavilion aims to showcase the country's vision for the future under the Expo's broader theme, "Designing the Future Society for Our Lives." Composed of modular, reusable wooden elements, the pavilion's architecture will later be reconstructed in Uzbekistan, serving as a studio, workshop, or school.

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Czech Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka / Apropos Architects

Czech Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka / Apropos Architects

A pavilion made of wood and glass as an exhibit. The architecture of the Czech National Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka reflects the idea of life energy and continuous development. The author of the design is Apropos Architects studio, which works with the motif of a spiral. Visitors to the pavilion walk through a 260-metre-long path that winds around the building and gradually rises through four floors to emerge on the observation roof. This dynamic movement symbolizes not only the passage of time and the development of the individual, but also personal and social growth.

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Indonesia Pavilion Opens at Expo 2025 Osaka with Boat-Inspired Design

Indonesia Pavilion Opens at Expo 2025 Osaka with Boat-Inspired Design

The Indonesia Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, open to visitors from April 13 to October 13, 2025, showcases a combination of tradition and forward-looking vision in alignment with the Expo's theme, "Designing Future Society for Our Lives." Symbolizing the philosophy of "Diversity in Unity," the pavilion draws inspiration from Indonesia's rich maritime history. Its structure takes the form of a stylized boat hull, representing progress and resilience. The rising shape of the design reflects Indonesia's optimistic outlook, moving forward, facing challenges with determination, and striving to achieve ambitious goals.

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DP Architects Completes “The Dream Sphere,” Singapore’s National Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025

DP Architects Completes “The Dream Sphere,” Singapore’s National Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025

DP Architects group, in collaboration with Kingsmen Exhibits, designed the Singapore Pavilion for the Expo Osaka 2025. With the grand opening on 13th April, the pavilion is now welcoming visitors. The concept of the pavilion centers around the tagline "Where dreams take shape," aiming to offer an insight into the country's culture and impactful innovations. The pavilion, taking the shape of a 17-meter-high sphere clad in recycled disks, creates a multi-sensorial exhibition showcasing actions and innovations that encourage a more sustainable future.

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LAVA Architects' German Pavilion Opens at Expo 2025 Osaka with Focus on Sustainability and Circularity

LAVA Architects' German Pavilion Opens at Expo 2025 Osaka with Focus on Sustainability and Circularity

Officially open since April 13 as part of Expo 2025 Osaka, the German Pavilion, designed by LAVA Architects. brings to life the theme of the circular economy. Previously unveiled under the title "Wa! Doitsu" (translated as "Wow! Germany"), the Pavilion explores concepts around circularity, showcasing the "terminological culmination of the sustainability discussion." Focusing on returning all consumable goods to the cycle of the economy, achieving zero waste, and minimizing resource consumption, the theme is visible throughout the entire design. 

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The Philippine Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025 Explores Interconnectedness Through Nature, Culture, and Community

The Philippine Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025 Explores Interconnectedness Through Nature, Culture, and Community

Expo Osaka 2025 officially opened its doors on April 13 in Osaka, Japan. The Philippines' exhibition for this edition opened with a pavilion designed by the Filipino-led architectural firm Carlo Calma Consultancy Inc., in partnership with Japanese executive architect Cat Inc., who also handled project management. Titled "Woven," the pavilion reflects the country's connections to nature, its cultural heritage, and its community values. With the theme "Nature, Culture & Community: Woven Together for a Better Future," the pavilion aims to highlight the Philippines' creativity, diversity, and aspirations for sustainable development while inviting visitors to engage with its cultural and environmental priorities.

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The Luxembourg Pavilion, Designed by STDM and Mikan, Explores Rhythms and Modularity at Expo Osaka 2025

The Luxembourg Pavilion, Designed by STDM and Mikan, Explores Rhythms and Modularity at Expo Osaka 2025

The Luxembourg national pavilion, designed by Luxembourg-based office STDM architectes urbanistes in collaboration with Japanese office MIKAN, with the concept of "Doki-Doki –The Luxembourg Heartbeat," has just opened its doors at the Osaka 2025 World Expo. The pavilion takes its name from the Japanese term for heartbeat, aiming to express joy and enthusiasm while strengthening the connection between the two countries. It also strives to offer visitors a chance to discover the cultural richness of Luxembourg and its multifaceted identity.

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KSA Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka / Foster + Partners

KSA Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka / Foster + Partners

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka has opened to the public. Designed by Foster + Partners and located on the Yumeshima waterfront, the Pavilion creates a spatial experience that echoes the exploration of Saudi Arabian towns and cities, while providing a setting for immersive engagement that connects visitors with the undiscovered wonders of the Kingdom. The highly sustainable and inclusive Pavilion has been designed with its legacy in mind as the project aims to achieve the Japanese green building rating system's highest level (CASBEE S) and will be net-zero operational carbon.

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BWM Architects Explores Musical Heritage For Austria Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025

BWM Architects Explores Musical Heritage For Austria Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025

BWM Designers & Architects has just completed the design for the Austrian Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025. Titled "Austria. Composing the Future," the pavilion reimagines the expo's theme, "Designing Future Society for Our Lives," through a music lens, suggesting a future that is not only designed but also composed. In collaboration with facts and fiction, the pavilion and exhibition embark on a journey through Austria's musical heritage and witness its transition into the future. The 900 square meters pavilion is located between the pavilions of Switzerland and Ukraine in the section "Empowering Lives."

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UK Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka / WOO Architects

UK Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka / WOO Architects

The UK Government's Pavilion at World Expo 2025 Osaka opens to the public on 13th April 2025. It has been designed by London-based WOO architects (WOO) to showcase British innovations that have changed the world. WOO is a world leader in designing temporary and demountable structures and has created the pavilion in collaboration with ES Global, a specialist design and build contractor of venues and relocatable architecture internationally. Offering a journey through time from the Industrial Revolution to the present day and beyond, the eye-catching pavilion skilfully mixes aspects of heritage with cutting-edge design, perfectly capturing the Expo's theme, Come Build the Future.

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Kengo Kuma & Associates Completes the Qatar Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025

Kengo Kuma & Associates Completes the Qatar Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025

The State of Qatar has just opened its national pavilion's doors at Expo Osaka 2025. Designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates in collaboration with Qatar Museums, the pavilion blends traditional craftsmanship from Qatar and Japan while highlighting the two countries' connection to the sea, which is understood as a hub of resources and a medium for trade and knowledge exchange. The exhibition will be on view until October 13, 2025, aiming to showcase Qatar's innovations across diverse fields.

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