At the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, the Spain Pavilion emerges elegantly as a lightweight architecture seemingly born from the ocean and sunlight. Inspired by the 16th-century “Kuroshio” or “Tornaviaje” current—a warm ocean current that historically facilitated cultural and economic exchanges between Japan and the Spanish colonies in America—this pavilion interweaves architecture, nature, and culture to create an open, sustainable, and emotionally expressive national space.
Architectural Aesthetics: A Poetic Construction Within a Marine Landscape
Designed collaboratively by Spanish firms EXTUDIO, ENORME Studio, and Smart & Green Design, and selected through a competition hosted by Acción Cultural Española, the pavilion contrasts with traditional enclosed pavilions by embracing an “enterable landscape” concept. The wide forecourt invites visitors to linger, socialize, and enjoy performances, evoking the spirit of Mediterranean plazas.
The building’s structure features repeated Japanese red cedar wooden colonnades forming undulating rooflines reminiscent of waves shimmering under sunlight. The façade is clad with ceramic panels that gradate from deep sea blue to sunlit gold, crafted by Ceràmica Cumella, which create dynamic reflections and visually engage with the environment.
Exhibition Narrative: A Gradual Descent and Return in an Immersive Ocean Journey
The visitor experience of the Spanish Pavilion follows a spatial rhythm that begins “from the coast, dives into the deep sea, and returns to the sunlight.” This progression is structured through four exhibition zones, creating a cohesive narrative journey that unfolds layer by layer.
1. Sun Plaza
Representing a sun-drenched Spanish town square, this welcoming space features a giant LED screen displaying digital artworks centered on the sun, sustainability, and the 2030 agenda. Live performances and interactive elements create a warm and open atmosphere typical of Spain.
2. Currents Toward the Future
A gently sloping pathway leads visitors into a deep blue-hued “underwater” space filled with multimedia and interactive installations. Themes include the blue economy, marine biodiversity, and climate change, inviting reflection on humanity’s future coexistence with the ocean.
3. Greetings from Spain
At the end of the descent, visitors are immersed once again in sunlight through 360-degree projections of Spain’s diverse landscapes and festivals. Interactive elements encourage contemplation of modern tourism’s relationship with the environment and present Spain as a vibrant, creative nation.
4. A Diverse Spain
The exit area connects directly to the main Expo “Grand Loop” and showcases the cultural and geographic diversity of Spain’s seventeen autonomous communities via interactive maps and audiovisual materials. It also hosts shops, a seafood restaurant, and multipurpose spaces for visitors to conclude their journey in celebration.
The Spain Pavilion is more than an architectural narrative about nature and culture—it is an active response to contemporary environmental challenges. Beginning with the historical metaphor of the Kuroshio current, unfolding through the symbolism of sun and sea, and realized in modular, reusable construction, the pavilion blends art, technology, and sustainability to express a multi-layered national identity.
It acts as a bridge between the 16th and 21st centuries, Spain and Asia, and nature and humanity—a tribute and inquiry into our shared ocean and future society.
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