Courtesy of Canada Pavilion
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https://www.archdaily.com/1019306/canada-pavilion-explores-renewal-at-expo-osaka-2025
The Canada Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka features interactive exhibits and installations that present the country’s innovation, culture, and diversity. Designed under the creative direction of Robert Lepage, the pavilion offers an immersive experience aimed at introducing Canada’s values and capabilities to a global audience. Additionally, it aims to showcase Canadian innovation, resources, investment, and education to the broader Indo-Pacific region. Centered around regeneration, the design is in line with the broader theme at the Expo: “Designing the Future Society for Our Lives.”
At the heart of the Canada Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka is an immersive experience conceived by renowned Canadian artist Robert Lepage. Visitors are invited to follow the movement of water across time and geography, tracing the forces that have shaped Canada’s landscapes and histories. The journey unfolds within a space framed by towering ice forms, where augmented reality reveals layered narratives of iconic places, figures, and moments. Through dramatic shifts in scale and sensory interaction, the installation bridges past and present, from ocean depths to the edges of outer space.
Courtesy of Canada Pavilion
Rather than presenting a traditional exhibition, the pavilion functions as a participatory artwork activated by the presence of its visitors. In the central space, sculptural blocks of ice, evoking the seasonal flow of ice along Canadian rivers and coastlines, anchor the experience. Each visitor receives a tablet at the entrance, enabling them to explore augmented reality content embedded within the sculptures. These digital layers reveal region-specific themes, full-scale scenes, miniature compositions, and artistic interpretations. The result is a continuously shifting visual environment, where visitors uncover a multifaceted portrait of Canada through movement, interaction, and discovery.
Related Article The Luxembourg Pavilion, Designed by STDM and Mikan, Explores Rhythms and Modularity at Expo Osaka 2025 
Courtesy of Canada Pavilion
Emphasizing sustainability, Canada’s commitment to climate action is evident in its participation at Expo 2025 Osaka. This includes the country’s procurement, pavilion design, operations, and programming. The Canadian Embassy claims that 55% of the pavilion site features structures that can be rented and reused. In fact, the pavilion is designed to allow for easy assembly and dismantling, reduce construction time, noise, and emissions, and promote efficient site reclamation, waste reduction, and material reuse.
Open until October 13, 2025, the Expo Osaka 2025 provides a platform for different countries to present their latest advancements and priorities. In other similar news, STDM architectes urbanistes designed the Luxembourg Pavilion, centered around joy and enthusiasm. The National Pavilion of the Kingdom of Bahrain, designed by Lina Ghotmeh – Architecture, draws inspiration from traditional Bahraini dhow boats to showcase craftsmanship and manufacturing heritage. Finally, Trahan Architects designed the USA Pavilion, focusing on American innovations.
We invite you to check out ArchDaily’s comprehensive coverage of the Expo Osaka 2025.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on July 25, 2024, and updated on June 19, 2025, to include photographs of the exhibit.
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