Project Details

A beacon on Osaka’s waterfront, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at World Expo 2025 is more than a physical space — it’s a multidimensional experience that redefines how a nation tells its story. 

Squint/Opera created an immersive world, embedded within architecture designed by Foster + Partners, where history, culture, and innovation converge with innovative storytelling and technology.

Client

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Culture

Location

Osaka, Japan

Sector

Museums & Attractions

Collaborators

Foster + Partners Done+Dusted Charcoalblue Insignia Coda to Coda

World Expo 2025 invites global audiences to engage with the ideas shaping tomorrow. Within The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pavilion, visitors embark on a journey through the Kingdom’s past, present, and future — moving seamlessly between cinematic storytelling, interactive installations and real-time art creation.

This interplay between physical and digital reaches across the pavilion’s key spaces and galleries.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025

The Saudi Courtyard is at its heart – transforming from a tranquil daytime retreat into a vibrant nighttime venue, featuring a constantly evolving show comprising work produced live by artists, musicians, and creators within the adjacent Music and Visual Arts Studios.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025

Beyond the courtyard, visitors are invited to take a walk through the ‘streets of Saudi Arabia’ into the pavilion’s immersive galleries. Here, you are led on a journey through four galleries showcasing Saudi Arabia’s cities and urban landscapes, their leadership in marine conservation, global influence in sports and ambitious future plans.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025

The Visual Arts Studio highlights traditional and modern Saudi visual art. A pitched display wall allows resident artists to work on large-scale pieces, and mirrors, live cameras and video surfaces provide visitors with a clear view of the creative process.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025

The Music Studio serves as a music creation and production hub, offering space for rehearsals, recordings, and live performances. Equipped with a high-quality recording booth, sound recording and playback system, integrated cameras and projection-mapped walls, it enables music artists to produce and showcase their work while also featuring rotating commissioned artwork.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025

Evolving Cities provides visitors with an opportunity to engage in the evolution of Saudi Arabia’s cities, from historic urban dwellings to modern cosmopolitan cities and future projects. Films start with a sunrise and move through the day, telling stories of cities until nightfall. Carved walls featuring animations echo the desert sands and stone samples allow a tactile experience of the country’s varied landscapes.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025

Sustainable Seas transitions from land to sea and positions Saudi Arabia as a world leader in marine conservation. It tells a rich human story that combines history with environmental initiatives, with immersive film through underwater ecosystems, a real Saudi Arabian mangrove tree, and an interactive sculptural wall which ‘grows’ with coral skeletons 3D printed throughout the Expo’s lifespan.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025

Unlimited Human Potential is the third sensory spectacle, focused on the central role Saudi Arabia now plays in the world’s most popular sports. We invite viewers to marvel at Saudi Arabia’s rich and diverse sporting landscapes and arenas.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025

Pinnacle of Innovation is the final experience, highlighting the Kingdom’s future ambitions. An ‘innovation wall’ greets guests with a curated selection of physical and digital objects. Screens surrounding the objects bring them to life and attract visitors to explore the innovation stories behind them on interactive screens. An immersive screen highlights NEOM’s innovation at a local, regional and global level through rich satellite photography and an array of multimedia.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025

Impact

Top 10

Stand-out pavilions at Expo 2025 Osaka – Dezeen

28 million

Projected Visitors

 

Technology is ever-present yet almost invisible — an enabler of human connection rather than a spectacle in itself. This extends across every space, creating a continuous immersive environment that reinforces the overarching narrative.

We want to work with the world’s leading teams that know how to ensure immersive digital content is holistically integrated within the architectural design

– Tony Miki, Partner, Foster + Partners


Related Services