JAPAN PAVILION
THEME: Where Ideas Meet
SIZE: 1,000 sqm
CLIENT: Japan External Trade Organization
DESIGN: Yuko Nagayama, NTT Facilities, Murayama Inc., Tanseisha Co. Ltd.
FABRICATION: NUSSLI Group
ADDITIONAL FIRMS: Neumann and Müller Middle East, Dentsu Live Inc., Obayashi Middle East Construction LLC, Hakuhodo Inc.
PHOTOS: Andreas Keller
Arabic arabesques and Japanese Asanoha patterns are fused in the exterior design of the Japan Pavilion. Based on an architectural concept by Yuko Nagayma and NTT Facilities, it is a tribute to the Silk Road. The three-dimensional filigree façade resembles origami and helps to protect the pavilion from sunlight. Water in front of the pavilion further helps to cool the surroundings and reflects the Origami-like exterior.
Inside, guests are invited to explore the connection between the Middle East and the Land of the Rising Sun via a multisensory experience centered on the idea of connecting people, technology, and ideas. As soon as they enter, visitors embark on an adventure through Japan’s history. Across six stations, the country’s past, present, and future blend together into an experience that appeals to all the senses through dynamic projections, light installations, and immersive audio, all fused into an individual tour tailored to their interests via a special smartphone with preinstalled software. The device functions as an audio guide that shares information in each guest’s preferred language. During the tour of the pavilion, visitors are repeatedly offered choices, and their decisions shape the tour's path.
As soon as they enter the pavilion, visitors embark on a journey through Japan's history, present, and future. Impressive videos depicting Japan's reverence for nature let Expo attendees dive into the country's fascinating culture and history. Cool, super-fine mist that spreads across the dark room enhances the multi-dimensional video projections, turning them into a unique and memorable experience.
Guests travel through zones representing challenges and innovations before finding themselves in a 360-degree theater with a spherical screen floating in the center. Here, viewers are encouraged to appreciate and value the individuality of others so that all can become one and take the first step toward creating a better future together. The visitors' smartphones, which record their activities and interests throughout their tour, create a unique graphic in real time from the collected data. The interactive 360-degree projection displays each visitor's own avatar based on a combination of motion tracking and the choices they made during their journey through the pavilion. Brought to life, the avatars start communicating with one another until, in the end, everyone is brought together.
In the pavilion’s final zone, called “Shaping the Future,” visitors can submit their own ideas for the 2025 world expo set to be held in Japan. Their ideas are collected and made available online for all to see.
