Journey, a global design and innovation studio pioneering multidimensional experiences (MDX), is reflecting on the success of Expo 2025 Osaka, at which it contributed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pavilion.
The World Expo, which ran from 13 April to 13 October, brought together 165 nations and international organisations to address their shared challenges under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives”.
Over 28 million people attended the Expo during its six-month run.
“Expo 2025 has invited the world to reflect on the future of humanity,” Alain Berger, president of the General Assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), said at the closing ceremony.
“Guided by a spirit of solidarity, innovation, and hope, it has highlighted the core priorities: health, the environment, human dignity, and shared progress. In a world confronted with global challenges, Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai has stood as a symbol of resilience. It has shown that collective intelligence and international cooperation are our greatest strengths in the face of uncertainty.”
Award-winning pavilion
As a member of the project team for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pavilion, Journey worked closely with architect Foster + Partners, as well as Done+Dusted, Charcoalblue, Insignia, TAIT, and Coda to Coda, to create a multidimensional experience that reimagines how a nation tells its story.
The resulting pavilion explores the Kingdom’s past, present, and future through cinematic storytelling, immersive galleries, and interactive installations. This is brought to life by Saudi’s people, including artists and musicians in the pavilion’s studios, and scientists in residence working in coral preservation.
See also: Shaping the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pavilion for Expo 2025 Osaka
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Pavilion at World Expo 2025. Image courtesy of Foster + Partners © Nigel Young
Over the course of Expo 2025 Osaka, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pavilion welcomed over 2 million visitors, reaching a record of 24,142 visitors in a single day.
At the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Official Participant Awards 2025, it was recognised with the gold award in the architecture and landscape category. Spain was presented with the silver award, and the United Arab Emirates took bronze.
Leo Warner, managing director at Journey, says: “We are honoured that our experience combining digital, physical and performance for the Pavilion has been recognised with this Gold award. From concept to completion we set out to redefine how a nation tells its story on the world stage – and this award affirms the power of design, technology and storytelling coming together in this unique collaboration.
“We thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Culture, Foster + Partners and every creative and technical mind who helped bring the vision to life.”
The BIE Official Participant Awards are presented for architecture and landscape (for self-built pavilions only), external design (for module pavilions only), exhibition design and theme development, and sustainability, and include a total of 45 gold, silver and bronze awards and four sustainability awards.
The next World Expo, Expo 2030 Riyadh, will be held from 1 October 2030 to 31 March 2031 with the theme “Foresight for Tomorrow”.
Elsewhere, Journey and Starlab Space LLC have announced a strategic collaboration that will help shape the interior and experiential design of the next-generation commercial space station. Journey joins Hilton and Airbus to develop a station environment that elevates how astronauts live and work in orbit.
AloJapan.com