Sumitomo Pavilion for the 2025 World Exposition, Japan

The Sumitomo Pavilion at the 2025 Japan International Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo) is a pavilion where visitors can experience a grand "story of life" set in the "UNKNOWN FOREST." With lanterns in hand, children and adults alike can freely wander through the forest and experience the interconnectedness of life that is usually unseen. In response to the movements of visitors, the light and mist change, and stories of life in nature emerge from the forest, such as trees conversing in the soil, the life cycle of trees spanning hundreds of years, and the animals and fungi lurking in the forest.
In a theater deep within the forest, the story unfolds, depicting the trajectory and fragments of memories of the Mother Tree, which has watched over this forest from its birth to its final moments. The wind and mist that permeate the space stir the senses of the visitors, and the show culminates in a powerful climax where layered images, music, and people merge into a spectacular performance.
After the forest experience, visitors will explore the "Seeds of the Future" area, where over 700 cutting-edge technologies and initiatives from the Sumitomo Group are displays, leading to a platform utilizing generative AI where anyone can create and share ideas for the future.

Furthermore, the Sumitomo Pavilion was constructed using approximately 1,000 cedar and cypress trees that were planted in 1970, the year of the Osaka World Expo. In addition to their experience at "UNKNOWN FOREST," visitors can participate in a "tree-planting experience" where they can touch seedlings and soil, and the newly grown seedlings will be returned to the original forest. This "story of life" will continue even after the Expo, and will be passed on to future generations.
 

Sumitomo boasts a 400-year history, and over that long period, the company has had a relationship with forests, which have become the foundation of its development. Forests, which embrace a wide variety of life, are full of individuality and vibrant, dynamic life. Humans, who are heading towards the future, are also a part of this, and there is much to learn from the various life forms that coexist with them. In order to find a prosperous future where people, forests, and all life resonate and harmonize, it was necessary to communicate the diverse values of forests to visitors through the Sumitomo House.

In "UNKNOWN FOREST," the space is designed around the keyword of an adventurous route without a set path, creating a misty, undulating forest. Visitors venture into the forest, where they cannot see what lies ahead, with courage and curiosity. There, new discoveries and empathy for life are born, and awe is evoked through dynamic effects combining sculpture, wind, light, and mist. Rather than explanations, the experience conveys diverse values, the interconnectedness of life, and the coexistence of humans and nature, raising awareness among visitors and encouraging a change in their environmental consciousness. Adventure fosters curiosity and imagination, and connects hope for the future to the next generation.

Our company was responsible for the planning, design, and construction of the interactive performance space in this pavilion.