Get a glimpse into the Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka
It looks pretty impressive…
A multi-eyed mascot, a vast wooden Grand Ring, 160 countries and regions coming together to design a better way to live, and robots and sushi galore: the World Expo has officially opened in Osaka, Japan, on April 13, 2025, and is set to continue until October 13, 2025.
Set on the artificial Yumeshima Island in Osaka Bay, the Expo 2025 Osaka emphasises sustainable development and environmentally friendly structures, while also highlighting advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
And interestingly, one of the most anticipated pavilions at the exhibition is the Saudi Arabia Pavilion – are we really surprised, though?
Here’s a glimpse into the Saudi Arabia Pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka.
The Saudi Arabia Pavilion, which appears to be the second largest after that of the host country, offers a multi-sensory experience focusing on the Kingdom’s rich history, its vibrant present, and its promising future.
Since opening, the pavilion has welcomed over 500,000 visitors in just 35 days, becoming one of the event’s standout attractions.
Designed by the renowned architects Foster + Partners, the pavilion consists of a network of angular volumes clad in local stone, arranged to mimic the layout of traditional Saudi Arabian streets.
Visitors enter through a green courtyard filled with plants native to Saudi Arabia, then walk through narrow streets leading to the Saudi Courtyard, the project’s vibrant heart.
They will then experience a warm Saudi welcome, characterised by live performances and visual displays from artists in the courtyard, before embarking on an extraordinary journey of exploration through interactive galleries and immersive experiences.
While emulating a village, the pavilion’s layout was also designed to facilitate passive heating and cooling, allowing cool winds to enter from the west during the summer, while the landscaped forecourt provides shelter from the harsher northerly winds in winter.
The pavilion features seven rooms and galleries. These include cultural studios designed around concepts of space and time, and innovative experiences that showcase the transformation taking place in the Kingdom.
Through the tour, visitors learn about the Kingdom’s culture, heritage, transformation under Vision 2030, and its global impact, from architectural development to borderless potential and limitless innovation. These exhibitions showcase the urban transformation of the Kingdom’s cities and its promising projects in the health, space, and energy sectors.
Sustainability is a key pillar of the Kingdom’s transformation under Vision 2030. The Sustainable Seas exhibition showcases Saudi maritime developments, including the Coral Reef Restoration Initiative, an innovative project designed to restore coral reefs along the Red Sea coast.
Another highlight is the central courtyard, which features a retractable stage for nightly performances. Here, artworks created during the residencies will be projected onto its 17-metre-high walls, accompanied by a backdrop of music recorded on-site.
Although separated across various volumes, the exhibits are linked by a unified soundscape. This allows visitors to be continuously guided by evolving audio atmospheres as they move through the distinct zones.
For a taste of Saudi culture, visitors will finally pass through the Saudi Souq, a gift shop selling souvenirs and local products, each a testament to Saudi craftsmanship, before sampling Arabic coffee and traditional dishes from across the Kingdom’s 13 regions at Irth Restaurant.
Located inside the West Gate in the Connecting Zone, the Saudi Arabia Pavilion will host over 700 events throughout Expo 2025 Osaka, including daily musical and theatrical performances, film screenings, performing arts, and storytelling.
Images: Foster + Partners