Theatre of Life, France Pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka – All photos are by ©Julien Lanoo, ©Coldefy & CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati.

Architecture. The France Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka “invites visitors to enter the theatre of life,” explains Thomas Coldefy, founding partner of Coldefy. The French studio teamed up with Italian design and innovation practice  CRA–Carlo Ratti Associati to create a journey through the country’s innate attitude for exchange and innovation. The pavilion features a stage curtain-like façade, a huge helical staircase, and a secret inner garden, reclaiming physical space as a medium for dialogue.

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“Infused with a spirit of play, the France Pavilion is a dynamic, flexible space that sparks unexpected encounters.” Comments Carlo Ratti. “In an era of increasing polarisation, physical space offers a much-needed antidote. Unlike the digital realm, it forces us to confront diversity and engage with perspectives that might challenge our preconceptions.”

In Japanese culture, the Akai Ito legend symbolises the connection between two individuals through an indestructible, invisible thread linked to their little fingers. From here, the pavilion welcomes visitors with a dynamic appearance featuring 17-metre-high fabric drapes that mimic theatre curtains. A sinuous copper staircase and balcony establish a stage, fostering a conversation between the Pavilion’s interior and the surrounding plaza, thereby offering warmth and accessibility to everyone.

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Visitors traverse a circular route that leads them through the heart of the exhibition, crossing through different thematic spaces, then stepping into a small garden, before re-entering the Pavilion to finish their experience with another outdoor moment.

Built with modular and prefabricated components, the Pavilion adopts a circular model, allowing its materials to be taken apart and reused. This embodies a vision of architecture that adapts seamlessly to life.

The France Pavilion aims to address social and environmental challenges by motivating both individual and collective engagement. It presents a fresh perspective on the future, rooted in the essence of life and its most beautiful feature, Love, through a shared, universal worldview.

All the photos of the French Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka are by ©Julien Lanoo, ©Coldefy & CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati.