Japan Pavilion at the 2025 World Expo

As the host country of the 2025 World Exposition, Japan (Osaka-Kansai Expo), which will be held under the theme of "concept design a Future Society Where Life Shines," the pavilion will be themed around "Between Life and Life," and will allow visitors to experience the significance of "circulation" through a seamless connection between displays and architecture.

The Japan Pavilion, with its circular structure that embodies the relay of life, commands a one-of-a-kind presence as the pavilion of the host country. In addition to the flow of traffic that naturally draws visitors into the Japan Pavilion as they walk around its perimeter, its greatest feature is the countless "wooden boards" that are lined up in a circular formation. Through the gaps between these boards visitors can get a glimpse of the interior, and the continuity between inside and outside, displays and architecture, gives visitors an opportunity to become aware of the "in-between" that is also the theme of the Japan Pavilion.

Another distinctive feature of this pavilion is the concept of the "Japan Pavilion that eats garbage." The garbage generated within the Expo site will be broken down by microorganisms and converted into energy and water. This "living pavilion" allows visitors to relive this process through an installation* and experience how the energy and water produced powers the Japan Pavilion. By walking around the pavilion, which is made up of three zones, visitors can get a sense of the significance of "circulation," a Japanese aesthetic, and realize that they too are part of this long and magnificent story.

In addition, by using "wooden boards" mainly made up of CLT (cross-laminated timber), and steel for the structure, CLT is used in as simple and symbolic a way as possible. The CLT used in the Japan Pavilion is planned to be reused by companies and local governments across Japan after the Expo ends, and has been designed to be easy to dismantle and repurpose.

By understanding the value of "circulation," which underlies the theme of the Japan Pavilion, "Between Life and Life," we hope to encourage visitors to reexamine the circulation that is all around us and to explore the future shape of society and hints for a sustainable future.

Our company is responsible for displays concept design (schematic design, working drawings), construction, and operation of the Japan Pavilion.

*A modern art form in which the entire displays space is experienced as a work of art. The viewer walks around the space and enjoys the work through sights, sounds, etc.