The German Pavilion of the Expo 2025 Osaka, titled “Wa! Germany,” officially broke ground on 10 April, a year before the opening, with a celebration ceremony. The event hosted various important names, each highlighting the importance of such international events and their contributions. The Consul General in Osaka, on the German Pavilion, said: “With its focus on circular economy, the German Pavilion perfectly embodies the overall concept of Expo 2025 in Osaka and will make an important contribution to sustainable future-orientated technologies for German-Japanese cooperation.”
Wa! The Germany pavilion is designed by LAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture) from Berlin in collaboration with VOSS + FISCHER and GL events. The Pavilion has a central theme of circularity, with the motto of “Mutually shaping a circular world.” This idea is based on the concept of circularity, which is translated into the design of the Pavilion itself; the visitor experience, the design, the technologies, and the future visions presented all assume this form. In other words, the circular shape is the central element around which everything revolves.
The Pavilion is a unique visitor experience that blends nature and technology into a holistic entity. It includes two groups of cylindrical structures that frame the exhibition and hospitality areas, merging into a green park. The buildings and garden interact as a creative design unit and enhance each other functionally. It aims to showcase how tomorrow’s architecture can merge sustainability with aesthetics and lived experiences and how built environments and nature can interact in a sustainability-driven society.
The design features seven round structural elements made from wood and distinguishes itself by its intelligent indoor climate design, innovative circular construction materials, and minimal use of 100% reusable or recyclable materials.
Wa! Germany will include immersive exhibition spaces for visitors to embark on an emotional and multisensory journey with visions of what living in a circular society could be like. The visitors will be accompanied by their “Circular”, cute, little speaking guides inspired by Kawaii, who will tell about the contents and explain the philosophy of a circular economy. After traveling through closed material and energy cycles in biospheres and circular cities, visitors will return to a world where humans and nature have reconciled their coexistence.
Expo 2025 Osaka will take place from 13 April to 13 October 2025 in Japan on the artificial island of Yumeshima, located on the waterfront west of Osaka. Under the theme of “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” this Expo aims to encourage all humans on this planet to think deeper while choosing a way of life and how each of us can contribute to better coexistence.
Learn more about other pavilions revealed for the event, including the USA Pavilion by Trahan Architects, the UK Pavilion by Woo Architects, the Saudi Arabia Pavilion by Foster + Partners, and more.
