Malaysian Pavilion at the 2025 World Expo in Japan

The Malaysian Pavilion, exhibited at the 2025 Japan International Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo), was themed "INTERWOVEN - Weaving a Harmonious Future," and was a space that comprehensively expressed the tradition, diversity, and progressive spirit inherent in Malaysia, a multi-ethnic nation. At the center of the pavilion was the symbolic "Tree of Harmony," standing approximately 10 meters tall. Its leaves were hand-woven by artisans from all over Malaysia using sustainable natural materials, and its trunk was composed of an organic structure made of fast-growing bamboo woven in a spiral. This sculptural language was also extended to displays floor, lighting, and graphics, symbolizing a network that connects the entire pavilion as if weaving together. As a pavilion where diversity intersects to weave one grand story, it became a place that embodied hope for a harmonious future.

While Malaysia is rapidly developing, it is also a multi-ethnic nation where traditions, religions, and cultures intersect in a complex way. A major challenge was how to visually represent "harmony and coexistence" in an international setting. Furthermore, it was necessary to ensure consistency with the architectural concept design while also making the 10-meter-tall tree structure feasible from the perspectives of structural safety, transportability, and construction. In addition, a strong balance was required between faithful reproduction of the design, cultural accuracy, and construction precision, undertaken through remote and continuous collaboration with overseas teams (Studio RED/brandME).

Centered around the theme of "weaving," the Tree of Harmony was established as a "structure of harmony" both physically and symbolically by unifying the relationships between form, materials, light, and space. Based on the design by Studio RED, numerous design adjustments and structural verifications were carried out to create the optimal cross-section, joint details, and lighting design for the bamboo structure, all integrated into the design and construction. The hand-woven leaves convey the regional characteristics and craftsmanship of Malaysia, and each one bears the name of the person who made it, becoming a device that simultaneously expresses national diversity and individual dignity. The lighting lines and displays configuration radiating from the trunk extend a gradual narrative of "from diversity to innovation" throughout the entire space, designed to deliver a woven vision of the future to visitors as an experience.