Saudi Arabia Pavilion by Foster + Partners at Expo 2025 Osaka mimincs a desert village – All photos are by Nigel Young.

Architecture. Foster + Partners’ Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka invites visitors to a market-like experience. The design draws inspiration from the mudbrick architecture found in a traditional desert village or town throughout the country, showcasing angular structures connected by passageways that resemble streets and enriched by immersive audio-visual elements exhibits.

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“We intentionally avoided a ‘black box’ experience solely driven by audio-visual technologies,” Explain Foster + Partners. An array of angular structures clad in local stone was created to mimic the layout of traditional Saudi Arabian streets. The structures of the desert village in Osaka encircle a courtyard and are accessed through a sloped forecourt adorned with native trees.

During the hottest months, winds flow through its streets, cooling the pavilion’s organic angular volumes. At the Saudi Pavilion core, a planted courtyard creates a calming oasis. Though separated across different volumes, the exhibits share a cohesive soundscape that guides visitors throughout the space.

Foster + Partners told Archipanic that the Saudi Pavilion “doesn’t just tell you about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; it invites you to feel it.”

The exhibits include immersive films, physical artefacts, and live performances. Saudi artists and musicians can also perform throughout the Expo in a recording studio and an art studio. A standout attraction is the central courtyard, which boasts a retractable stage for performances.

Saudi Arabia Pavilion by Foster + Partners at Expo 2025 Osaka mimincs a desert village – Photo by Nigel Young.

In this space, artworks created during the residencies will be projected onto the 17-meter-high walls accompanied by music recorded on-site. At night, immersive video mapping animates the desert village.

The pavilion also features a shop, café, and restaurant that serve coffee and Saudi Arabian cuisine, providing a taste of Saudi culture.

The design of the Saudi Arabia Pavilion emphasises disassembly, featuring a lightweight, modular structure and facade made of stone panels, steel framing, and precast concrete slabs.

All photos of the Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka are by Nigel Young, courtesy of the pavilion.

Saudi Arabia Pavilion by Foster + Partners at Expo 2025 Osaka mimics a desert village – Photo by Nigel Young.