{"id":145202,"date":"2025-05-30T22:14:22","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T22:14:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/145202\/"},"modified":"2025-05-30T22:14:22","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T22:14:22","slug":"on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/145202\/","title":{"rendered":"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link \" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/68397d014969890187d69399-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" rel=\"attachment noopener\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 100%;\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 1 of 15\" data-nr-picture-id=\"68397d014969890187d69399\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"480\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"eager\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/68397d014969890187d69399-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/projetando-pavilhoes-nacionais-poder-e-identidade-nas-exposicoes-universais_15.jpg\" style=\"min-height: var(--featured-height, auto); aspect-ratio: auto 640 \/ 480\" width=\"640\"\/><\/a>Czech Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka \/ Apropos Architects Image \u00a9 boysplaynice<\/p>\n<p>    Share<\/p>\n<p>Share<\/p>\n<ul class=\"afd-share__networks clearfix\">\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Facebook\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"facebook_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1030539\" data-social=\"facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Twitter\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"twitter_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1030539\" data-social=\"twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=On%20Designing%20National%20Pavilions%3A%20Power%20and%20Identity%20at%20Universal%20Exhibitions&amp;url=https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions&amp;via=archdaily\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>\n<p>Twitter<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"email_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1030539\" data-social=\"email\" href=\"mailto:?subject=On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions&amp;body=https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\"><\/a>\n<p>Mail<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Pinterest\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"pinterest_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1030539\" data-social=\"pinterest\" href=\"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.archdaily.com%2F1030539%2Fon-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.adsttc.com%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2F6839%2F7d01%2F4969%2F8901%2F87d6%2F9399%2Flarge_jpg%2Fprojetando-pavilhoes-nacionais-poder-e-identidade-nas-exposicoes-universais_15.jpg%3F1748598024&amp;description=On%20Designing%20National%20Pavilions%3A%20Power%20and%20Identity%20at%20Universal%20Exhibitions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"afd-share__social\"><a aria-label=\"Whatsapp\" class=\"afd-share__button\" data-action=\"share\/whatsapp\/share\" data-insights-category=\"share\" data-insights-label=\"whatsapp_sharing_options\" data-insights-value=\"1030539\" data-social=\"whatsapp\" href=\"whatsapp:\/\/send?text=On+Designing+National+Pavilions%3A+Power+and+Identity+at+Universal+Exhibitions+%7C+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.archdaily.com%2F1030539%2Fon-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions%3Futm_source%3DWhatsapp%26utm_medium%3DIM%26utm_campaign%3Dshare-button\" rel=\"nofollow\"><\/a>\n<p>Whatsapp<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Or<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions<\/p>\n<p>What can a pavilion\u2019s architecture reveal about its country? At major <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/world-expo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">World Expos<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/pavilions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">national pavilions<\/a> are designed to answer this question, transforming into spaces laden with symbolism. Though <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/temporary-architecture\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">temporary<\/a>, these structures are rich in meaning, functioning as architectural expressions of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/politics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">political identity<\/a>. Their forms and materials encapsulate national ambitions. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/expo-2025-osaka\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Expo Osaka 2025<\/a>, the latest chapter in this ongoing narrative, showcases how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1028820\/one-week-to-expo-2025-osaka-8-must-see-national-pavilions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">nations increasingly use built space<\/a> to construct global images of themselves\u2014sustainable, technological, culturally distinct, and geopolitically relevant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"thumbs afd-desktop-e clearfix\"><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1fceb0fa018ad1d0e4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1fceb0fa018ad1d0e4-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" rel=\"attachment noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 2 of 15\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1fceb0fa018ad1d0e4\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/_5.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1fceb0fa018ad1d0e4-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" title=\"USA Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. Image \u00a9 Hufton+Crow\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1fceb0fa018ad1d0e5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1fceb0fa018ad1d0e5-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" rel=\"attachment noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 3 of 15\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1fceb0fa018ad1d0e5\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/_6.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1fceb0fa018ad1d0e5-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" title=\"KSA Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka - The pavilion\u2019s massing recalls the organic shapes of traditional Saudi villages. Image \u00a9 Nigel Young \/ Foster + Partners\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b2aceb0fa018ad1d0e7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b2aceb0fa018ad1d0e7-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" rel=\"attachment noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 4 of 15\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b2aceb0fa018ad1d0e7\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/_4.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b2aceb0fa018ad1d0e7-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" title=\"Osaka Expo 2025 Japan Pavilion \/ Nikken Sekkei. Exhibition entrance. Image Courtesy of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"thumbs__link\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1d313c24018878b6c4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1d313c24018878b6c4-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" rel=\"attachment noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 5 of 15\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1d313c24018878b6c4\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/_8.jpg\" height=\"125\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1d313c24018878b6c4-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" title=\"Expo 25 Osaka Swiss Pavilion. Image \u00a9 Presence Switzerland\" width=\"125\"\/><\/a><a class=\"gallery-link afd-desktop-e\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/68397d014969890187d69399-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - More Images\" class=\"thumbs__img b-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/projetando-pavilhoes-nacionais-poder-e-identidade-nas-exposicoes-universais_15.jpg\" itemprop=\"image\" bad-src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAUEBAAAACwAAAAAAQABAAACAkQBADs=\"\/>+ 10<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1dceb0fa018ad1d0e2-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 6 of 15\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1dceb0fa018ad1d0e2\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1dceb0fa018ad1d0e2-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/_10.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Uzbekistan Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. Image \u00a9 Josef \u0160indelka<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/960212\/are-worlds-fairs-a-thing-of-the-past-the-role-that-architecture-played-on-one-of-historys-biggest-stages\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Over the decades<\/a>, these pavilions have evolved into meticulously curated narratives where architecture, politics, and culture intersect to shape national <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/identity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">identity<\/a>. At <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1005476\/first-look-at-expo-2025-osaka-previewing-sou-fujimotos-masterplan-and-the-initial-national-pavilion-designs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Osaka 2025<\/a>, this symbolic and diplomatic function becomes even more pronounced. Pavilions communicate not only who a nation is, but who it aspires to be. The environmental agenda, for example, has become a compelling vector of <a href=\"https:\/\/education.cfr.org\/learn\/reading\/what-soft-power?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=archdaily.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">soft power<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1028817\/osaka-expo-2025-japan-pavilion-nikken-sekkei\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Japan\u2019s pavilion<\/a> exemplifies this shift, employing local wood, parametric design, and natural ventilation not just for function, but as metaphors of circularity and harmony with nature.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1e313c24018878b6c5-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 12 of 15\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1e313c24018878b6c5\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1e313c24018878b6c5-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/_2.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>\u00a9 Expo Osaka 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, countries like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1009980\/foster-plus-partners-designs-model-village-for-saudi-arabian-pavilion-at-expo-2025-osaka\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Saudi Arabia<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1018594\/uae-pavilion-announces-participation-in-expo-2025-osaka-with-groundbreaking-ceremony\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">United Arab Emirates<\/a> are embracing immersive technologies\u2014augmented reality, responsive facades, and AI\u2014to reframe their narratives. No longer defined solely by oil economies, they seek to position themselves as innovation-driven futurescapes. In this context, national <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/identity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">identity<\/a> is staged like a multisensory installation. Materials, sounds, aromas, lighting, and spatial choreography become tools for storytelling\u2014none of them neutral, all of them charged with intent.<\/p>\n<p>  Related Article <a class=\"rel-article__link\" data-insights-category=\"related-article\" data-insights-label=\"3\" data-insights-value=\"1030539\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/960212\/are-worlds-fairs-a-thing-of-the-past-the-role-that-architecture-played-on-one-of-historys-biggest-stages?ad_medium=widget&amp;ad_name=related-article&amp;ad_content=1030539\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Are World&#8217;s Fairs a Thing of the Past? The Role that Architecture Played on One of History&#8217;s Biggest Stages<\/a>  Architecture as a Political Statement<\/p>\n<p>Pavilions transcend cultural or technological display to become instruments of political messaging. Architectural choices convey nuanced\u2014or at times overt\u2014signals about values, ambitions, and worldviews. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.expo2020dubai.com\/en\/understanding-expo\/participants\/country-pavilions\/denmark?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=archdaily.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Denmark\u2019s Expo 2020 Dubai pavilion<\/a>, with open ramps and fluid circulation, subtly suggests democratic transparency and inclusion, while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/970241\/russian-pavilion-at-expo-2020-dubai-speech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Russia\u2019s monumental spiral structure<\/a> evokes nationalism and technological command. Here, architecture becomes a codified discourse: every curve, void, and surface reads like a political sign.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1f313c24018878b6c8-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 7 of 15\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1f313c24018878b6c8\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1f313c24018878b6c8-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/_1.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Russian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai \/ SPEECH. \u00a9 Ilya Ivanov<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This language continues at Osaka 2025. <a href=\"https:\/\/sms-bridges.com\/israel-pavilion-at-expo-2025-osaka-a-fusion-of-ancient-heritage-and-future-innovation\/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=archdaily.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Israel\u2019s pavilion<\/a>, inspired by the ecological resilience of deserts, presents a narrative of innovation and perseverance amid adversity\u2014an architectural response to both climate challenges and regional geopolitics. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1029138\/anatomy-of-a-dhow-bahrain-pavilion-osaka-expo-2025-lina-ghotmeh-architecture\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bahrain\u2019s contribution, by Lina Ghotmeh Architecture<\/a>, focuses on the adaptability of maritime cultures. <a href=\"https:\/\/koreapavilion2025.kr\/en\/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=archdaily.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">South Korea\u2019s high-tech, futuristic pavilion<\/a> reinforces its position as a rising digital powerhouse.<\/p>\n<p>In some instances, however, absence speaks just as loudly. In previous editions, countries like North Korea and Syria have boycotted the Expo as a form of political protest. These silent gestures are part of the same strategic vocabulary, where presence, form, and even withdrawal shape the geopolitical stage set by architecture.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1eceb0fa018ad1d0e3-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 8 of 15\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1eceb0fa018ad1d0e3\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1eceb0fa018ad1d0e3-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/_11.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Anatomy of a Dhow, Bahrain Pavilion Osaka Expo 2025 \/ Lina Ghotmeh Architecture. \u00a9 Iwan Baan<\/a>Sustainability on Display<\/p>\n<p>Amid the global climate crisis, national pavilions have also become key arenas for environmental diplomacy. Sustainability\u2014once a peripheral concern\u2014is now central to the architectural narrative of Expos. It\u2019s no longer only about meeting green standards, but about crafting a spatial language that embodies ecological responsibility. This shift also challenges the very notion of ephemerality: where temporariness once defined these structures, reuse, intelligent disassembly, and material reintegration now drive their conception.<\/p>\n<p>This ecological turn is particularly evident at Expo Osaka 2025. With the theme \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1029109\/expo-osaka-2025-opens-in-japan-as-a-laboratory-for-future-society\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Designing Future Society for Our Lives<\/a>,\u201d the event encourages models of regenerative, cooperative, and resilient living. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1008807\/the-nordic-pavilion-at-expo-osaka-2025-to-be-designed-by-amdl-circle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sweden<\/a>\u2019s and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1018244\/the-german-pavilion-designed-by-lava-architects-explores-circularity-at-expo-osaka-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Germany<\/a>\u2019s pavilions are designed for a second life, to be repurposed as schools or community centers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1012846\/trahan-architects-reveals-usa-pavilion-at-expo-2025-osaka\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The U.S. pavilion, designed by Trahan Architects<\/a>, incorporates steel, fabric, and HVAC components repurposed from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/tokyo-2020-olympics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tokyo 2020 Olympics<\/a> structures\u2014materials slated for further reuse across <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/japan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Japan<\/a>. In this framework, the Expo becomes a laboratory of environmental geopolitics, where sustainability itself is a form of soft power.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1fceb0fa018ad1d0e4-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 2 of 15\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1fceb0fa018ad1d0e4\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1fceb0fa018ad1d0e4-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1748643259_509__5.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>USA Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. Image \u00a9 Hufton+Crow<\/a>Technological Spectacle as a National Strategy<\/p>\n<p>In contemporary Universal Exhibitions, technology is no longer displayed as an end in itself but has become a narrative and experiential medium. Immersive installations, sensory interfaces, and AI-driven storytelling transform pavilions into interactive ecosystems, where visitors are both spectators and agents. This shift signals a significant change: it is no longer just about showcasing innovation, but about embedding technology into the dramaturgy of space. Architecture, in this context, ceases to be a static backdrop and merges with experience design, dissolving the boundaries between the built and the digital. Moreover, the way each country orchestrates these elements reveals its ability to envision desirable futures\u2014and to position itself as a protagonist in the global technological transformation.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1c313c24018878b6c3-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 14 of 15\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1c313c24018878b6c3\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1c313c24018878b6c3-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/_7.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>KSA Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka &#8211; The pavilion\u2019s massing recalls the organic shapes of traditional Saudi villages. Image \u00a9 Nigel Young \/ Foster + Partners<\/a><\/p>\n<p>At Expo Osaka 2025, this race for technological affirmation takes clear shape in pavilions such as that of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1018594\/uae-pavilion-announces-participation-in-expo-2025-osaka-with-groundbreaking-ceremony\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">United Arab Emirates<\/a>, which offers an interactive journey through environments responsive to human presence, narrative artificial intelligence, and real-time sensors that react to visitors\u2019 actions\u2014demonstrating a sophisticated technical mastery with implications across multiple spheres. In a similar vein, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1020085\/atelier-bruckner-reveals-design-for-the-uzbekistan-pavilion-at-expo-osaka-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Uzbekistan Pavilion<\/a> stands out with an exhibition focused on empowerment, highlighting the country\u2019s openness to innovation and its commitment to preparing for the future.<\/p>\n<p>Yet this immersion presents a growing tension: how to balance technological spectacle with architectural integrity. In some cases, architecture risks being overshadowed by its digital overlay, losing spatial coherence. The most compelling pavilions are those that fuse form, function, and innovation into a seamless whole, where technology becomes not an add-on, but an intrinsic architectural language.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1f313c24018878b6c6-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 13 of 15\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1f313c24018878b6c6\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1f313c24018878b6c6-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/_3.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Osaka Expo 2025 Japan Pavilion \/ Nikken Sekkei. Exhibition entrance. Image Courtesy of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry<\/a>Intercultural Collaborations: The True Legacy<\/p>\n<p>While Universal Exhibitions are organized around national representation, they have also emerged as vital platforms for cultural exchange. Increasingly, national pavilions are designed by multicultural teams, resulting in more nuanced, inclusive, and inventive expressions of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/identity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">identity<\/a>, not as a fixed essence, but as something fluid and co-constructed.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b29ceb0fa018ad1d0e6-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 10 of 15\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b29ceb0fa018ad1d0e6\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b29ceb0fa018ad1d0e6-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/_13.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Indonesia Pavilion Opens at Expo 2025 Osaka with Boat-Inspired Design. Courtesy of Indonesia Pavilion<\/a><\/p>\n<p>At Osaka 2025, this collaborative ethos is exemplified by pavilions such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1019073\/swiss-pavilion-designed-by-manuel-herz-architekten-explores-lightweight-materials-at-expo-osaka-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Switzerland<\/a>\u2019s, designed by an international team, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1022814\/indonesia-pavilion-reveals-boat-inspired-design-at-expo-2025-osaka?ad_campaign=special-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indonesia<\/a>\u2019s, which brings together local architects and foreign consultants. These collaborations offer more than design efficiency\u2014they signal gestures of quiet diplomacy. In a climate of resurgent nationalism, such exchanges underscore that innovation thrives through openness and dialogue. Each pavilion becomes a space of mutual learning, expanding the very meaning of global belonging.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"js-image-size__link lazy-anchor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1d313c24018878b6c4-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"On Designing National Pavilions: Power and Identity at Universal Exhibitions - Image 5 of 15\" data-nr-picture-id=\"682f7b1d313c24018878b6c4\" height=\"427\" itemprop=\"image\" loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1030539\/on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions\/682f7b1d313c24018878b6c4-on-designing-national-pavilions-power-and-identity-at-universal-exhibitions-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1748643262_870__8.jpg\" width=\"640\"\/>Expo 25 Osaka Swiss Pavilion. Image \u00a9 Presence Switzerland<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the lasting value of Expos may not lie in reinforcing national brands, but in fostering encounters\u2014shared spaces where ideas, technologies, and cultures converge to respond to urgent global challenges. As architect <a href=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/viewpoints\/lessons-in-global-design-from-expo-2025-osaka\/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=archdaily.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Manuel Herz<\/a>, designer of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/1019073\/swiss-pavilion-designed-by-manuel-herz-architekten-explores-lightweight-materials-at-expo-osaka-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Swiss Pavilion<\/a>, puts it: \u201cIn a moment of global tension, every possibility for us to physically meet in a shared space and celebrate something that can still be described as a cosmopolitan spirit needs to be valued and utilized.\u201d Amid so many crises, pavilions remind us that architecture is more than shelter or style\u2014it is a vessel for connection, a space for learning, and a rehearsal for futures we must build together.<\/p>\n<p>We invite you to check out ArchDaily&#8217;s comprehensive coverage of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archdaily.com\/tag\/expo-2025-osaka\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Expo Osaka 2025.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Czech Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka \/ Apropos Architects Image \u00a9 boysplaynice Share Share Facebook Twitter Mail Pinterest Whatsapp&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":145203,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3939],"tags":[62549,4023,4021,4020,62550,62548,4022,77,62551,10487,62553,62546,5905,2122,62542,12358,62543,62547,5847,62544,3695,53,62545,13426,62541,16,15,62552,52601],"class_list":{"0":"post-145202","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-ar-technology","9":"tag-architecture","10":"tag-arts","11":"tag-arts-and-design","12":"tag-barcelona-pavilion","13":"tag-cultural-identity","14":"tag-design","15":"tag-entertainment","16":"tag-expo-2020-dubai","17":"tag-expo-2025-osaka","18":"tag-expo-2030-riyadh","19":"tag-exposicion-universal","20":"tag-identity","21":"tag-japan","22":"tag-japanese-pavilion","23":"tag-lina-ghotmeh","24":"tag-manuel-herz","25":"tag-nordic-pavilion","26":"tag-pavilion","27":"tag-russian-pavilion","28":"tag-sustainability","29":"tag-technology","30":"tag-temporary-exhibits","31":"tag-temporary-pavilion","32":"tag-trahan-architects","33":"tag-uk","34":"tag-united-kingdom","35":"tag-us-pavilion","36":"tag-vernacular-architecture"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=145202"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145202\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/145203"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=145202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=145202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=145202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}