Its construction will start soon. The Polish Pavilion at Expo 2025 was designed by Alicja Kubicka and Borja Martínez of Interplay Architects. Now the contract for the construction of the pavilion has been signed. What will it look like? The designers talked about the building.
The World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai in Japan will begin in less than 300 days. It is the world’s largest event during which individual countries promote their culture, history, tourism and economic contacts are established. Poland’s participation at Expo is the responsibility of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, with the Ministry of Development and Technology as the supervising institution.
Poland’s pavilion at Expo 2025 will have an area of nearly 1,000 square metres. Its design is based on the use of wood, which tightly surrounds the block. The form thus proposed is intended to evoke the association of a spreading wave of creativity and innovation among Poles.
The pavilion will be built by a consortium comprising Nagashima Co., Ltd, JSC Corporation, FINASI SPI JV TURNKEY PROJECTS CONTRACTING – FZCO.
The construction of the Poland Pavilion is a priority task and the most important element related to Poland’s participation in the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Despite the challenges related to the selection of the contractor, the PAIH has made every effort to ensure that the Polish Pavilion is completed as designed, on time and within the budget approved by the Council of Ministers,” emphasises Magdalena Skarżyńska, Vice President of the PAIH Management Board.
A key element of the Polish presentation in Japan will be the programme of the pavilion. Details of what will take place in the building will be announced soon.
We asked the architects where the idea for the building to have a spiral-like shape came from? Alicja Kubicka and Borja Martínez answered the questions.
From the outset, we knew that the Pavilion’s external form had to be original and original in order to encourage visitors to visit this particular building among the many unusual structures. In addition, the pavilion’s privileged location – situated in an exposed corner – allowed us to create an attractive design seen from different perspectives and in motion, rather than from one main and static view. The starting point was the concert hall: the Japanese love Chopin, and concerts dedicated to his works will be one of the highlights of the programme. We placed it in a central location. We then tried to create a flowing tour path and to organise all the other functions so that they revolve around the geometric heart of the Pavilion. This move not only symbolises the importance of culture, which sets us apart from others, but also with the open and concentric arms of the spiral invites visitors to enter the ‘Polish galaxy’ zone.
What will the façade be made of? You have given it a sculptural form.
The façade will be made of wooden repetitive modules. In the development of the project itself, they became the unit of measurement for our architectural work when we experimented with the proportions of the walls: “two modules higher, one module lower”. They synthesise and allow us to make legible the natural logic of this project. In addition, the quality of Japanese wood craftsmanship is world-renowned. Sou Fujimoto’s design of the great ring uses one of the most effective and recognisable traditional joints in its structures: “nuki”. Therefore, the construction of the Poland Pavilion in Osaka offers the opportunity to benefit from this invaluable local savoir faire and pay a respectful nod to Japanese culture.
Will these wooden elements be brought back from Poland?
The wood will be sourced from Japan. We try to rely on local materials in our projects as this is a much more sustainable solution.
How have you designed the interior layout? What will visitors see as they walk through the hall?
Our effort has focused on ensuring that it is the space that guides visitors in an intuitive way, that it is the architecture that shows the way. From the entrance hall, visitors will make their way to the first floor, where they will find a sequence of exhibition rooms. After exploring it, already on the ground floor, they will be able to go to the concert hall and the shop. The pavilion will also have a restaurant area, offices and meeting rooms, essential for managing events at the Expo. We believe that both the content of the exhibition and its design will be very interesting. The set designers have done a great job, which integrates perfectly with the spirit of the pavilion.
What did you find most challenging about this project?
A common challenge for all participants is that the Expo event is located on the artificial island of Yumeshima, which makes the geotechnical conditions very complex. In addition, Japan seasonally struggles with the effects of strong typhoons and is in a zone where earthquakes pose a real threat to buildings. Developing a lightweight, temporary structure that meets all local standards was a huge challenge. The Osaka Expo is also extremely complicated for all countries, as the previous Expo in Dubai was delayed by 1.5 years, which significantly reduced the time to develop the design and complete all procedures for the event.
Nevertheless, the Pavilion project is moving in the right direction and we are working hard with our local partners to complete this exciting task.
The previous edition of the World Expo was held in Dubai. The Polish Pavilion was quite successful there. It was recognised as the most beautiful pavilion. We wrote more about this accolade HERE.
source: PAIH, editorial materials
Read also: Wood | Facade | Detail | Interesting facts | Featured | whiteMAD on Instagram
