Foster + Partners Sculpts a Spatial Poem for Saudi at Expo 2025 Osaka

In the ephemeral world of international expos, where architecture often flickers like a passing spectacle, Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka dares to dream of permanence. Designed by Foster + Partners, the structure is not merely a display, it is a sculpted experience, a living fragment of the future intended to outlast the fleeting weeks of the exposition itself.

At first glance, its quiet simplicity may seem enigmatic. One might ask: what ties this minimalistic gesture to the Kingdom? To Japan? But it is precisely in this tension—between presence and suggestion—that the pavilion finds its voice

Its broken grid is not a rupture but a release, a symbolic guideline to the formation of the labyrinthine alleys, tranquil courtyards, and atmospheric walkways that resonates with the intimate scale and spatial tempo of vernacular Saudi villages.

The pavilion’s porous geometry and volumetric proportions are neither arbitrary nor ornamental. Sculpted by Foster + Partners, the form draws from the sinuous contours of historic Saudi settlements, while being precisely calibrated using computational fluid dynamics to passively regulate airflow and adapt to Osaka’s climate. It is a deliberate synthesis of memory and environmental responsiveness—a dialogue between tradition and context.

The pavilion not only targets net-zero operational carbon but also aspires to achieve the highest rating in Japan’s CASBEE environmental assessment, reinforcing its role as a forward-looking architectural statement grounded in performance and place.

This commitment to environmental responsiveness extends beyond form. Sustainability here is a tangible framework, manifested through passive cooling, context-driven strategies and smart material choices. The façade, crafted from an innovative Saudi stone composite, is both lightweight and easily demountable, reflecting a conscious approach to lifecycle and adaptability.

Dissolving the boundary between spectacle and space for dwelling, the pavilion unfolds like a narrative where every element of the design is a quiet metaphor, translating ideology into architecture, and concept into craft. In its poetic restraint, the pavilion becomes more than a national statement—it becomes an architectural meditation on time, terrain, and transience.

Photography Credit: Nigel Young and Foster + Partners