An insider’s look at the Saudi Arabia Pavilion for World Expo 2025
See our ‘making-of’ series on the pavilion:
As the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan comes to a close, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion stands as one of its defining successes. A beacon on the Osaka waterfront, it stands as an all-encompassing expression of the nation’s culture, art, and people. Across Foster + Partners’ architecture and a suite of immersive galleries, the story of Saudi Arabia is woven directly into the very fabric of the building, creating a multidimensional experience that redefines how a nation can tell its story on the world stage.
World Expo 2025 invites global audiences to engage with the ideas shaping tomorrow. Within The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pavilion, visitors embark on a journey through the Kingdom’s past, present, and future — moving seamlessly between cinematic storytelling, interactive installations and real-time art creation.
This interplay between physical and digital reaches across the pavilion’s key spaces and galleries.
The Saudi Courtyard is at its heart – transforming from a tranquil daytime retreat into a vibrant nighttime venue, featuring a constantly evolving show comprising work produced live by artists, musicians, and creators within the adjacent Music and Visual Arts Studios.
Beyond the courtyard, visitors are invited to take a walk through the ‘streets of Saudi Arabia’ into the pavilion’s immersive galleries. Here, you are led on a journey through four galleries showcasing Saudi Arabia’s cities and urban landscapes, their leadership in marine conservation, global influence in sports and ambitious future plans.
The Visual Arts Studio highlights traditional and modern Saudi visual art. A pitched display wall allows resident artists to work on large-scale pieces, and mirrors, live cameras and video surfaces provide visitors with a clear view of the creative process.
The Music Studio serves as a music creation and production hub, offering space for rehearsals, recordings, and live performances. Equipped with a high-quality recording booth, sound recording and playback system, integrated cameras and projection-mapped walls, it enables music artists to produce and showcase their work while also featuring rotating commissioned artwork.
Evolving Cities provides visitors with an opportunity to engage in the evolution of Saudi Arabia’s cities, from historic urban dwellings to modern cosmopolitan cities and future projects. Films start with a sunrise and move through the day, telling stories of cities until nightfall. Carved walls featuring animations echo the desert sands and stone samples allow a tactile experience of the country’s varied landscapes.
Sustainable Seas transitions from land to sea and positions Saudi Arabia as a world leader in marine conservation. It tells a rich human story that combines history with environmental initiatives, with immersive film through underwater ecosystems, a real Saudi Arabian mangrove tree, and an interactive sculptural wall which ‘grows’ with coral skeletons 3D printed throughout the Expo’s lifespan.
We want to work with the world’s leading teams that know how to ensure immersive digital content is holistically integrated within the architectural design – Tony Miki, Partner, Foster + Partners
Unlimited Human Potential is the third sensory spectacle, focused on the central role Saudi Arabia now plays in the world’s most popular sports. We invite viewers to marvel at Saudi Arabia’s rich and diverse sporting landscapes and arenas.
Pinnacle of Innovation is the final experience, highlighting the Kingdom’s future ambitions. An ‘innovation wall’ greets guests with a curated selection of physical and digital objects. Screens surrounding the objects bring them to life and attract visitors to explore the innovation stories behind them on interactive screens. An immersive screen highlights NEOM’s innovation at a local, regional and global level through rich satellite photography and an array of multimedia.
Impact
Top 10
Stand-out pavilions at Expo 2025 Osaka – Dezeen
2M+
Visitors
24,142
Record Visitors in single day
Gold
Cultural Architecture: Interactive & Experiential Spaces – New York Architectural Design Awards 2025
x2 Gold
Best Large Pavilion & Best Exterior Architecture – World Expolympics Awards 2025, The Experiential Design Authority (TEDA)
Winner
Expo Innovation Award for Technological Innovation – Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) and the Global Industrial and Social Progress Research Institute (GISPRI)
When we innovate, when we do something special, the world becomes better. From time to time when I see footage that is able to capture that, I’m extremely excited – Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, Ambassador to Japan, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Technology is ever-present yet almost invisible — an enabler of human connection rather than a spectacle in itself. This extends across every space, creating a continuous immersive environment that reinforces the overarching narrative.
We want to work with the world’s leading teams that know how to ensure immersive digital content is holistically integrated within the architectural design