Newly opened at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, the Australia Pavilion is now welcoming visitors. Designed by global architecture practice Buchan, this year’s pavilion responds to the exposition’s banner of “Designing Future Society for our Lives” with a design themed “Chasing the Sun.”
The practice noted in a media release that the design draws inspiration from the eucalyptus tree and gumnut, whose bloom is “a powerful symbol of new life and the boundless potential of future generations.”
According to Buchan, the pavilion’s colourful facade represents the gumnut bursting into flower. It is made from a soft, tensile fabric that the practice envisions as “a canvas for sharing Australia’s stories, innovation and creativity.” In addition, the light-permeable fabric is intended to capture changing shadows across the day to connect visitors with nature as part of the pavilion experience.
Underneath the fabric shell, the pavilion’s structure reuses a steel framework that was previously used at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Buchan noted that the pavilion’s use of minimal construction materials and light-permeable building envelope together minimise the pavilion’s waste and energy use. For lead architect architect on the pavilion Nataly Ernst, these moves “showcase our nation’s design ingenuity” in the World Expo context, which she noted is “a great opportunity for architects to experiment and exchange ideas.”
A cultural forecourt precinct outside the pavilion’s entry, designed with landscape architecture practice McGregor Coxall, is intended as a welcoming gathering point with music, theatre, dance and screen programming situated alongside a yarning circle for gathering.
The landscape idea continues as a “bush walk” within the pavilion’s exhibition. According to Buchan, this format “captures the experience of walking on Country” and was developed alongside Indigenous advisors Karrda as a way to amplify Indigenous culture and ways of knowing.
Buchan creative lead on the pavilion Dong Uong commented that the exhibition is an interactive journey that engages all the senses. “The experience ‘chases the sun’ across land, sky and sea Country, based on the structure and flow of the song lines that traverse the land and have shared knowledge between Indigenous people for millennia.”
Throughout the exhibition, visitors are invited to engage with Australia’s natural environment and society. The exhibition aims to spotlight First Nations Australians’ connection to Country over tens of thousands of years, and how this ancient knowledge can help build a future society.
Alongside the exhibition, a special event zone features four function spaces, whose “colour and materials reflect Australian landscapes, and Australian design, art and craft features,” Buchan noted. The design of these spaces is intended to support the economic, cultural and social imperatives of Australia’s Expo participation, which include deepening Australia’s relationship with Japan, creating new opportunities for Australian businesses and showcasing contemporary Australia to the world.
“Our team is immensely proud of the Australia Pavilion, which showcases our unique country on the world stage and supports the enduring friendship between Australia and Japan,” Ernst said.
World Expo 2025 Osaka runs for six months from 13 April to 13 October 2025.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
