What to See at Expo Osaka 2025

After hosting previous editions in 1970 and 1990, the Japanese city of Osaka returns as the venue for the Expo, which this year brings together 160 participating countries. Until October 13, 2025, the artificial island of Yumeshima will host the World Expo under the theme Designing Future Society for Our Lives—an invitation to reflect on new societal models capable of addressing today’s environmental, social, and technological challenges.

The Expo’s 188 pavilions, organized around three main sub-themes—Saving Lives, Empowering Lives, and Connecting Lives—serve as true narrative devices, translating cultural identities, design visions, and perspectives on the future into architectural form.

Here are the must-see projects according to THE PLAN.

Italy Pavilion: Art Regenerates Life

 
The Italy Pavilion, designed by MCA – Mario Cucinella Architects, is conceived as an open, relational laboratory—“a living ecosystem” that tells the story of the country through a series of sensory and narrative experiences

A lightweight, modular wooden structure, both permeable and light-filtering, hosts an exhibition path that unfolds through a variety of environments: from the Ateliers of Creativity, where craftsmanship, art, and research take center stage, to the Theatre, which blends digital scenography with live performances. An intimate, contemplative space showcases Caravaggio’s The Deposition, while the Italian Territories section highlights local excellence and traditions. At the conceptual heart of the project lies the Ideal City, a platform for reflection on the cities of tomorrow. Finally, the Italian Garden on the rooftop—a green labyrinth where biodiversity and design merge—evokes the harmony between nature and human knowledge.

The Venice Biennale at Expo 2025: Nest of Silence

Within the rooftop garden of the Italy Pavilion comes to life Nest of Silence, a sound installation by Caterina Barbieri, the new artistic director of the Biennale Musica. Specially conceived for this setting, the work transforms the garden into an immersive landscape, where nature and artifice engage in dialogue through sound. Modular synthesizers, field recordings, and electronic fragments interweave in a shifting composition that amplifies silence as a space for active listening.

Created in collaboration with field recordist Sarah Keirle, sound designer Thierry Coduys, and artist Ruben Spini, Nest of Silence reflects on the relationship between the living and the technological, in harmony with the theme Art Regenerates Life.

Masterplan Grand Ring: "A Shared Sky"

Designed by Sou Fujimoto, the Grand Ring is the iconic structure of Expo 2025: a colossal wooden ring, two kilometers in circumference, that encloses the entire exhibition site. With an outer diameter of 700 meters and a total wood volume of 20.000 m³—70% of which is locally sourced hinoki (cypress) and sugi (cedar)—the structure has been recognized as the largest timber architecture in the world.

Austria Pavilion: Composing the Future

In the Austrian Pavilion, music becomes a metaphor for a global community in which humanity, nature, and technology come together to create a shared harmony. Designed by BWM Designers & Architects, a 16-meter-long spiral-shaped musical score embodies the connection between cultural tradition and technological innovation.

This wooden score—crafted from over 40 m³ of spruce provided by Hasslacher Group—transforms into a digital ribbon, inviting visitors into an architectural experience where technologies and solutions for a more sustainable and inclusive society are explored.

Better Co-Being: an ethereal pavilion like a cloud

"How can we better share resources, instead of fighting over them? How can we respect each other and connect, rather than draw boundaries that divide us?" With Better Co-Being, Japanese studio SANAA, in collaboration with data scientist Hiroaki Miyata, presents one of the most evocative projects of Expo 2025.

EARTH MART: an ecological manifesto

France Pavilion: A Hymn to Love

Czech Republic Pavilion: Talent and Creativity for Life

Designed by Apropos Architects, the Czech Republic Pavilion explores the theme of vital energy and continuous development. A spiraling structure of wood and glass wraps around the visitor in a 260-meter-long ascending path, culminating in a panoramic terrace—a metaphor for both personal and collective growth.

Strategically located in Osaka, the transparent structure subtly recalls the Czech Pavilion of 1970, paying tribute to the country’s glassmaking tradition through the use of artistic glass that transforms natural light into a curatorial element. At the heart of the pavilion, a multifunctional auditorium is seamlessly integrated into the exhibition route, while installations by Rony Plesl, Jakub Matuška, Alfons Mucha, and Lasvit lead visitors on an immersive journey through art and architecture.

This is a pavilion where movement meets contemplation, and body meets thought—an architectural expression that is both clear and deeply evocative.

Spain Pavilion: Kuroshio Current

The Spanish Pavilion, designed by EXTUDIO, ENORME Studio, and Smart & Green Design, is built around the theme of the ocean—a vital planetary resource and a historic link between Spain and Japan. Departing from the monumental style often associated with World Expos, the project proposes an open and welcoming architecture inspired by Mediterranean plazas, spaces for rest, encounter, and reflection.

The visitor experience unfolds along a gently sloped ramp that simulates a descent into the ocean depths, surrounded by blue hues and interactive installations focused on sustainability, the blue economy, and Spanish cultural identity. Fully demountable and reusable, the pavilion employs a circular construction system using dry-assembled timber elements, minimizing environmental impact.

It is a living space where the sea and sun become metaphors for an open, forward-looking identity rooted in sustainability.

Bahrain Pavilion: Connecting Seas

For the Kingdom of Bahrain Pavilion, titled Connecting Seas – A Journey Through the Senses, architect Lina Ghotmeh has created a structure that is both powerful and poetic, merging maritime memory with contemporary sensitivity. Built from over 3.000 pieces of non-engineered Japanese cedar, the pavilion evokes the interwoven hulls of dhows—the traditional sailing vessels of the Persian Gulf—and the billowing sails caught in the wind, echoed by the white envelope that gently filters light into the space. Wood is the central element of the project, establishing a deep dialogue between Bahrain’s seafaring craftsmanship and Japan’s architectural precision. The result is an architectural expression that becomes a cultural bridge—linking two nations shaped by their relationship with the sea.

The theme Connecting Seas shapes an experiential exhibition journey that explores Bahrain’s relationship with the sea through the senses. The galleries trace the country’s transformation from a historic trading port to a global hub for tourism and finance, addressing key topics such as commerce, pearl diving, ecology, and craftsmanship.

The exhibition design, curated by Shepherd Studio, is enriched by dynamic projections and includes a dedicated space promoting Bahrain as an investment destination. This is a project where form and content are seamlessly intertwined—telling the story of a national identity in constant dialogue between tradition and the future.

United Kingdom Pavilion: Come Build the Future

The building blocks of childhood games serve as the inspiration for celebrating the transformative power of simple ideas in the United Kingdom Pavilion, designed by WOO Architects. Each architectural element—modular and repeatable—becomes a metaphor for a thought that can grow and spark global solutions.

Through an interactive digital journey, the pavilion narrates the story of British innovation, from pioneering scientific achievements to contemporary challenges met with creativity and collaborative spirit. Conceived as a platform for exchange, the pavilion is a tangible invitation to build a future together—one founded on the sharing of ideas.

USA Pavilion: Imagine What We Can Create Together

Designed by Trahan Architects in collaboration with BRC Imagination Arts, ES Global, and Alchemy, the United States Pavilion—symbol of innovation and cultural collaboration—blends references to traditional Japanese architecture with the creative energy of the American spirit.

Two triangular buildings frame a central plaza inspired by Japanese bridges; at its heart floats a translucent cube reminiscent of a torii, the traditional gateways marking the entrance to sacred spaces. This luminous structure serves as a threshold between the vitality of the outer world and the calm of the inner garden, creating a dialogue between monumentality and lightness.

Inside, visitors are guided through a journey exploring the power of shared ideas, with installations celebrating culture, entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies—led by Spark, the pavilion’s mascot and a symbol of creativity and the future. As Trey Trahan describes it, the pavilion is "a beacon for the country, celebrating the best of American ideas on the world stage” through "architecture that is at once minimalist and monumental, inspired by its Japanese context”.

Portugal Pavilion: Ocean, The Blue Dialogue

“The sea has no form—it is created by light and wind. Through rope, we give it presence in architecture”. Designed by Kengo Kuma, the Portugal Pavilion emerges as an ethereal, vibrant structure that portrays the ocean as a space of connection. Titled Ocean, The Blue Dialogue, the project offers a sensory and symbolic experience: a porous, ever-changing architecture that invites visitors on a journey between the fragility of the present and the sustainable utopias of the future. At its heart, a floating wave evokes the sea’s continuous motion, dissolving the boundaries between inside and out.

The pavilion—born from a collaboration between Japanese and Portuguese artisans and professionals—celebrates the centuries-old bond between the two nations and offers a poetic reflection on resilience, memory, and innovation. Built with natural materials and designed to be disassembled and recycled, it embodies a vision of architecture that is both responsible and deeply human.

Malaysia Pavilion: Weaving a Future in Harmony

Kengo Kuma also designed the Malaysia Pavilion, narrating the country’s cultural and social fabric through a dialogue between culture, nature, and technology. At the heart of the project is the use of bamboo, which forms a façade of nearly 5.000 interwoven rods—crafted using digital techniques and inspired by the traditional Malaysian songket textile. This lightweight, light-filtering surface, reminiscent of a luminous fabric, captures natural light and symbolizes the nation's vitality and openness. Inside, Selangan Batu wood and tanamera hues evoke Malaysia’s red earth, creating a warm and deeply rooted atmosphere.

The pavilion becomes a symbolic meeting place between Malaysia and Japan, past and future, tradition and innovation—interweaving a cultural tapestry where diverse identities coexist and mutually enrich one another.

Qatar Pavilion: From the Coastline, We Progress

The Qatar Pavilion—the fourth and final pavilion in this series designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates for Expo Osaka 2025—invites visitors on a journey through the historical and contemporary significance of Qatar’s coastal regions. Created in collaboration with Qatar Museums, the project celebrates the Middle Eastern nation’s maritime heritage, its path toward sustainable development, and its forward-looking economic vision.

The pavilion intertwines Qatari and Japanese cultures: the sea, a vital source of resources and trade, has played a key role in establishing strong bilateral ties between the two countries, fostering mutual prosperity. Featuring a timber structure and a white canopy that evokes the sails of traditional boats, the building’s design draws inspiration from the Qatari dhow and from Japan’s refined woodworking tradition—particularly the kigumi technique, which uses precise joinery without nails.

Inside, a multimedia exhibition curated by OMA AMO explores Qatar’s identity by narrating how it has been shaped by its coastline.

Saudi Arabia Pavilion: Together for a Better Future

The Saudi Arabia Pavilion, designed by Foster + Partners, captures the essence of traditional Saudi villages through a network of narrow passageways, interwoven streets, courtyards, and thresholds. Visitors are guided through spaces that offer glimpses of everyday life and evoke the gentle, rhythmic pace of the Kingdom’s historic cities.

At the heart of the project is the Saudi Courtyard—a tranquil space by day and a stage for performances by night, serving as a collective place for exchange and encounter. The orientation of the volumes, combined with fluid dynamics simulations, enables carefully optimized natural ventilation throughout the pavilion.

Built with low-emission materials and equipped with rooftop photovoltaic systems, the project aligns with the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative. As the first temporary pavilion to achieve the WELL Health and Safety Rating, it also earns the highest level of Japan’s CASBEE sustainability certification, standing as a virtuous example of environmentally responsible architecture.

Blue Ocean Dome: A Pavilion for Ocean Conservation

The Blue Ocean Dome, designed by Shigeru Ban, stands as a manifesto of architecture dedicated to the preservation of marine ecosystems. At the heart of the project—promoted by ZERI Japan—is the Osaka Blue Ocean Vision, a global commitment to eliminate marine plastic pollution by 2050.

The pavilion is composed of three domes—one built from laminated bamboo, one from paper, and one from CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic). These are unconventional materials for large-scale architectural applications, chosen for their lightness, recyclability, and ease of assembly. Notably, this marks the first time CFRP has been used as a primary structural element in a building.

More than just an exhibition space, the Blue Ocean Dome is an international hub for education, research, and collaboration—where institutions, companies, and visitors can engage in meaningful dialogue on critical issues such as oceanic climate change, the regeneration of the marine industry, and the reduction of plastic waste in our seas.

Mitsubishi Pavilion: a new aesthetic of the temporary

>>> Discover the must-see pavilions at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale