Journey, the global design and innovation studio known for pioneering multidimensional experiences (MDX), has brought the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025 in Osaka to life through an extraordinary fusion of immersive media, architectural storytelling, and cultural authenticity. Designed in collaboration with the world-renowned Foster Partners, the pavilion sets a new standard for experiential design on the global stage.
Located on the Yumeshima waterfront in Osaka, the pavilion invites visitors to embark on a transformative journey through the past, present, and future of Saudi Arabia. The experience is rooted in the ancient cities and cultural heritage of the kingdom, while simultaneously highlighting its future-facing ambitions.
The collaboration between Journey and Foster Partners began in 2023, when they won the international design competition with a proposal that embedded storytelling into the very architecture of the pavilion. From the outset, the brief called for a radical departure from traditional interpretive layering, instead demanding that narrative be integrated holistically within the structure, spaces, and systems.
To realize this ambitious vision, Journey studios Squint/Opera and 59 led creative direction and immersive content design across a series of interconnected galleries and public spaces. Working in lockstep with Foster Partners through every phase — from concept to completion — the multidisciplinary Journey team oversaw visitor experience design, cultural strategy, interactive technology, spatial storytelling, lighting, stage mechanics, and AV integration.
The result is a unified, living environment — a pavilion designed as an urban microcosm that fosters dialogue, cultural exchange, and emotional connection. Visitors encounter a dynamic blend of physical, digital, and live elements: panoramic screens, projection-mapped architecture, tactile installations, and a spatial soundscape that evolves as they move through each gallery. Every detail has been orchestrated to create a seamless narrative journey, enhancing empathy, curiosity, and understanding.
Key Pavilion Highlights Include:
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The Saudi Courtyard: The pavilion’s heart transforms from a peaceful space by day into a vibrant cultural venue by night. A nightly sound and light show — projected on 17-meter-high walls — features music composed and recorded on-site by Saudi artists, alongside dynamic content produced in real time within the Cultural Studios.
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The Visual Art Studio: A showcase for traditional and contemporary Saudi visual arts, this space features a massive angled display wall, overhead lift system, mirrored surfaces, and live-streamed creative processes, supported by a spatial audio system that amplifies the artist’s voice and narrative.
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The Music Studio: A state-of-the-art production hub for Saudi musicians, equipped with rehearsal areas, high-quality recording booths, projection walls, and rotating visual art commissions. Live and recorded performances form part of the evolving visitor experience.
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Evolving Cities Gallery: The visitor journey begins here, exploring the transformation of Saudi cities from ancient settlements to modern urban marvels and futuristic developments.
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Sustainable Seas: A sensory-rich immersion into Saudi Arabia’s marine conservation efforts. Visitors are guided through a visually stunning underwater world combining film, artefacts, living plants, and interactive coral sculptures grown from 3D-printed structures.
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Unlimited Human Potential: Celebrates Saudi Arabia’s leadership in global sport and the empowerment of its people across diverse athletic disciplines through powerful visuals and storytelling.
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Pinnacle of Innovation: The final gallery showcases Saudi Arabia’s technological aspirations through a curated selection of interactive artifacts, inviting visitors to imagine their place in a visionary future.
Every element of the pavilion — from tactile installations to synchronized light and sound — has been designed for multi-sensory impact. The spatial narrative is fluid, unfolding through a singular sound environment that shifts in tone and atmosphere, guiding the visitor emotionally and thematically.
This project marks a milestone in collaborative design. As Alice Britton, Executive Director at Journey and founder of Squint/Opera, explains: “What’s unique about Journey’s work on the pavilion is the seamless integration of media and physical form. The result is a truly holistic approach where moving image, tactile materials, and spatial elements merge into a singular, immersive experience.”
Leo Warner, founder of Journey studio 59, emphasized the importance of the close partnership with Foster Partners:
“Our team was embedded from the beginning, which allowed us to create a pavilion that not only tells Saudi Arabia’s story through its own people but also redefines what nation-branding at an Expo can be.”
Tony Miki, Partner at Foster Partners, added: “The pavilion balances tradition and modernity, creating meaningful connections between Japanese audiences and Saudi culture. Our collaboration with Journey ensured the immersive content was fully integrated into the architectural language.”
The Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Expo 2025 is more than an exhibition space — it’s a living dialogue, a cultural exchange platform, and a bold step into the future of immersive, empathetic storytelling.
For more information, visit www.journey.world
