彰显法国的创新与非凡技艺 / A BOLD SHOWCASING OF OUR NATIONAL “SAVOIR FAIRE”
“A hymn to Love” as the guiding theme
The France Pavilion seeks to provide a response to social and environmental challenges by inspiring individual and group commitment. It offers a new vision of the future, one guided by the meaning of life and its most beautiful expression, Love, through a universal world view.
Art, science and technology are all useful resources that contribute to this loving vision of the future. The France Pavilion is offering up this quest for meaning to visitors from all over the world, highlighting technology through its ability to respond to the basic needs of humanity and nature.
In Japanese culture, the legend of the red thread, or Akai Ito, refers to the joining of two beings by an invisible, indestructible magic thread attached to their little fingers. It is the intention of the French Pavilion to be a symbol of love between France and Japan, and the permanent exhibition constitutes its beating heart. An infinite dialogue is suggested between three interconnected movements:
- loving yourself (enhancing everyone’s ability and skills),
- loving others (shown through knowing how to live, social solidarity and inclusion),
- love of nature (in order to protect it more effectively, regenerate it and use it in a sustainable way).
In various economic fields (Living Heritage Companies, innovation, energy transition, the circular economy, lifestyle, etc.), and in cultural and scientific fields, these three dimensions of Love will promote:
- Boldness: In a world filled with upheaval and with the challenges of our time, the France Pavilion has opted to capitalize on the outstanding dynamic of the French ecosystem for innovation.
- Savoir-Faire: French lifestyle calls to mind cuisine, science, fashion, culture, education, diversity and sophistication, embodies France’s showcase abroad.
- Commitment: Autonomy, individual empowerment and taking responsibility, as well as collective commitment, are what make it possible to face the challenges of today’s world.
These values, as they are embodied by the France Pavilion, illustrate the France brand.
A concept building that is designed to move people
The Pavilion has been designed to welcome over 3 million visitors and to offer a unique visitor experience, a multisensorial journey that is full of positive emotions and appeals to the senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste.
The France Pavilion has been jointly designed by French architecture studio Coldefy and Italian architecture and innovation practice CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati to express the gui- ding thread of a hymn to love within its overall architecture: the permanent and temporary exhibition spaces, the public service spaces (the shop, bakery and bistro), as well as the spaces given over to professionals and Pavilion partners.
A powerful expression of French identity
The Pavilion’s imposing façade is revealed right from the visitors entrance. With its modern, pared-back style, it evokes a theatre set that has been opened up to its audience, while at the same time maintaining an air of mystery.
As in a theatre, it side facades are completely screened, and allow access to the various areas through passages that also serve as places to meet.
Nestled along the pavilion’s rear facade, the garden forms an integral part of the permanent exhibition. Echoing the pavilion’s overarching theme — an ode to love — the garden’s spectacular scenography evokes the France Pavilion’s message of love for nature.
The whole building evokes a sensuality, distinction and French chic.
A building designed to be both sustainable and responsible
The Pavilion is designed to be a temporary building with optimised recyclability. The metal structure can be reassembled in elements and modules that can be used for other buildings. 21% of the Pavilion’s built surface is made up of prefabricated rented modules which are reusable.
Above and beyond its aesthetic appearance, the exterior shell acts as protection for the France Pavilion. It is built as a double skin to improve the building’s thermal performance by reducing heat transfer. Together with natural ventilation, it reduces energy consumption for heating and air conditioning.
A green roof covers and insulates the building, helping to control its temperature and improve its thermal performance. The roof also allows rainwater to be collected and reused.
参观体验 / THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE
The visitor experience delivers an emotional journey that will make a visit a memorable one. Through its committed representation of France and French companies, it offers a vision and meaning. It provides innovation with an interactive presentation of the solutions on offer from French stakeholders. Lastly, the visit includes a multi-faceted aspect, sharing the expertise and experience from the French economic, scientific and cultural ecosystem and the diversity of our regions.
The visitor journey starts right from the queue, which begins under the Pavilion’s entrance porch and goes in front of the bakery, allowing everyone to gradually travel up a gently- sloping ramp.
As they move through the entryway leading into the permanent exhibition, visitors are greeted by an Aubusson tapestry, entitled: “Ashitaka tends his demon wound,” inspired by the Hayao Miyazaki film Princess Mononoke. This monumental work stands as an emblem of the friendship between France and Japan.
Visitors then cross an aerial walkway to access the first part of the permanent exhibition. After this first part of the permanent exhibition, visitors will go into the garden, the second part of the permanent exhibition. This timeless space gives them an opportunity to gaze upon the beauty of nature, before they reenter the Pavilion for the third part of the permanent exhibition.
A permanent exhibition designed to be like a lovers’ walk
The permanent exhibition was designed in collaboration with artist Justine Emard, who is also its Artistic Director, as a lovers’ lane as part of a journey, opening up an infinite dialogue between three movements: loving yourself, loving others and loving nature.
It begins on a walkway that crosses the building, then continues into the garden and ends on the ground floor of the building, in the third and final section of the permanent exhibition. The permanent exhibition’s set design has chosen to use different methods of presentation such as sets, mapping, objects, works of art, prototypes, etc. Technology is presented first and foremost as a way of fulfilling the needs of humans and nature.
Design in all its forms
The exhibition spaces are complemented by the areas given over to serving the general public (the shop managed by the Tricots Saint James Group and Arteum, along with the bakery and bistro run by Maison Eric Kayser), and various functional spaces – the co-wor- king lounge, the conference and demonstration room, a flexible meeting space and a room for receptions – which are reserved for partners and professionals who wish to organise their b to b or public events within the France Pavilion.
The full range of French creativity will be showcased at the France Pavilion for a 6 month period, reinstating the tradition of bringing out new, unseen designs made especially for world expos, as in the case of the Pierre Paulin furniture designed for the Osaka Expo in 1970. The France Pavilion will be the setting for a range specially designed for its bistro by Tectona, in partnership with the French Mobilier National, following a call for young designers organised in conjunction with Villa Noailles and its director, Jean-Pierre Blanc. The winner is Jean-Baptiste Fastrez, with a project called ‘Grenouille’ (‘Kaeru’ in Japanese). This exclusive line echoes the theme of the French Pavilion, “Un hymne à l’Amour”, and initiates a conversation on the love of nature.
José Lévy is the artist and designer who has been entrusted to be the Creative Director of the various spaces of the France Pavilion.
A programme that showcases France’s assets
The Pavilion’s programming will define its six-month lifespan. It will be based on the Pavilion’s editorial line, a hymn to love, and on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which make up the basis of the OSAKA 2025 Expo’s programming.
The France Pavilion’s programming will focus on 3 main areas:
- 六个临时展览：呈现法国的生活艺术、精湛技艺与沉浸式体验。
- 主题双周：围绕 12 个与可持续发展目标相关的主题展开，通过研讨会、讲座、主题演讲、影像放映和表演等形式，让展馆持续焕发活力。
- 法国馆特别日程：
- 2025 年 4 月 13 日：开幕式
- 2025 年 5 月 2 日：男女平等日
- 2025 年 5 月 9 日：欧洲日
- 2025 年 7 月 14 日：法国国庆日
- 2025 年 9 月 13 日：法国日
- （日期待定）：法语国家日
- 2025 年 10 月 13 日：闭幕式
- Six temporary exhibitions will be presenting living savoir-faire, works of art and live immersive experiences.
- Themed fortnights at the heart of the programming: they are devised around 12 main themes linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, and they bring the Pavilion to life with seminars, talks, keynote speakers, projections and shows.
- The France Pavilion’s Special Days：
①13 April 2025: Inauguration
②2 May 2025: Men & Women’s Equality Day
③9 May 2025: European Day
④14 July 2025: French National Holiday
⑤13 September 2025: France Day
⑥To be annonced : Francophonie Day
⑦13 October 2025: Closing ceremony
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