Realising Women’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka: a showcase of circular economy

The project, a joint exhibition initiative by the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Cartier Japan, Richemont Japan Limited (Cartier), and Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, aspires to showcase a better world where all individuals are equal, respected, and can fully realise their potential. The Pavilion will provide visitors with insights and learning experiences through various exhibits. 

Considering the temporary nature of the structure, the design prioritises the circularity of materials, innovatively reusing the façade steel and membrane materials from the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. To adapt these materials to a new site, we have proposed to catalogue the dismantled lattice façade components and utilise computational modelling for geometric analysis and structural assessment. This allows for approximately 98% of the façade to be reused, minimising carbon emissions and facilitating further reuse.

The main structure extensively uses recycled and reused materials as well. The primary steel components are made from electric furnace steel, and the foundation steel beams are repurposed from leased temporary retaining materials. Moreover, the foundation adopts low-carbon Clean-Crete® developed by Obayashi Corporation, collectively reducing the building’s embodied carbon by an estimated 50% compared to conventional buildings. 

The indoor exhibition spaces are designed to include water features to enhance aesthetics and function as part of the integrated air conditioning system. This design aids in dehumidification and helps improve the thermal comfort near the entrance area. The water quality will be maintained through a natural biotope water purification system, rather than mechanical filtration.