BWM Designers & Architects has just revealed the design for the Austrian Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025. Titled “Austria. Composing the Future,” the pavilion reimagines the expo’s theme, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” through a music lens, suggesting a future that is not only designed but also composed. In collaboration with facts and fiction, the pavilion and exhibition embark on a journey through Austria’s musical heritage and witness its transition into the future.
Central to the design is a sculptural spiral resembling an oversized musical staff, crafted from wooden slats and ascending upwards, serving as a visual anchor and guide through the more extensive exhibition. Symbolizing Austria’s “musical journey,” the visitors are guided through the exhibition by a musical narrative from the past to the present to the future. “Even from afar, the sculptural staff and the prominently positioned title proclaim: this pavilion is about Austria and about music.”
The pavilion prioritizes the core theme of sustainability through its content and construction. Composed mainly of wood, the spiral sculpture seeks to showcase Austrian craftsmanship and highlight the economic ties between Austria and Japan. The structure’s components, assembled with screws, are easily disassembled and repurposed, embodying the principles of reusability. The exhibition hall is a modular building rented in Japan, demonstrating more sustainable practices for temporary structures.
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Austrian Pavilion at the 2023 Venice Biennale Creates an Exchange Between City Residents and Exhibition VisitorsThe pavilion features three exhibition rooms, with upper floors designated for offices, events, and culinary experiences. Outside the pavilion, visitors encounter musical note-shaped exhibits representing Austria’s musical legacy. The spiral staff extends through all the rooms and invites visitors to learn about the lesser-known sides of Austria. Additionally, the exhibition highlights Austria’s contributions to a sustainable future, showcasing the nation's economic and social strengths through interactive displays and the spiral staff, inviting playful learning and participation.
The exhibition comes to an end in the “Cathedral of the Future,” where visitors use interactive features to influence AI-driven visual and auditory experiences. This immersive space allows the participants to shape the content, illustrating Austria’s spirit of “composing the future.” In fact, a hybrid variant of the exhibition will enable visitors to participate virtually from wherever they are.
Many other countries have revealed their national pavilions for the upcoming Expo, which is to take place between April 13 and October 13, 2025. The State of Qatar has recently unveiled its national pavilion designs by Kengo Kuma & Associates, showcasing traditional craftsmanship and the countries’ connection to the sea. Similarly, the UAE Pavilion has just revealed their designs, drawing inspiration from the local date palm tree, combining traditional Emirati materials with Japanese wood-building techniques. Finally, DP Architects has unveiled the design for the Singapore Pavilion, centered around the place “where dreams take shape.”
We invite you to check out ArchDaily's comprehensive coverage of the Expo Osaka 2025.
