Best Pavilions at Expo 2025 Osaka

DATE

30.07.2025

With the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” the exhibition brings together pavilions from over 160 countries, transformed into experiential spaces that go beyond traditional displays. These spaces allow internationally renowned architects to shape shared visions of the future.

Among the most remarkable proposals is the Portugal Pavilion, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who has envisioned an ethereal installation made of thousands of suspended ropes and recycled nets evoking the movement of the ocean. Titled “Ocean: The Blue Dialogue,” the pavilion pays tribute to Portugal’s historical connection to the sea, blending tradition, lightness, and sustainability in an immersive sensory experience.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabia Pavilion, designed by Foster + Partners, is conceived as a contemporary Saudi village, featuring courtyards, narrow passages, and an immersive journey narrating the country’s transformation. This project stands out for its commitment to sustainability and reuse, incorporating low-impact materials and renewable technologies. Also noteworthy is the Qatar Pavilion, once again designed by Kengo Kuma, which interprets the desert landscape through wooden structures in dialogue with Islamic tradition. The Cartier Women’s Pavilion, designed by Yuko Nagayama, revives elements from the Japanese Pavilion at Dubai Expo to create an experience blending architecture, garden, and social engagement. On another note, the null² Pavilion, by Yoichi Ochiai and NOIZ, explores digital nature through mirrored structures and interactive spaces that rethink the boundary between the physical and the virtual.

Crowning the site is the main protagonist: the Grand Ring, a monumental wooden structure with a 600-meter diameter envisioned by Sou Fujimoto. This suspended ring, built using traditional Japanese joinery and covered in vegetation, functions as an observatory, elevated walkway, and symbol of connection among the various pavilions. It is the largest wooden structure in the world, representing a perfect synthesis of technology, sustainability, and architectural poetry. Its presence makes Expo 2025 Osaka a true landmark in the recent history of world expositions.

MARCH VALENCIA | ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO

Back to News