At Expo 2025 Osaka, the France Pavilion—designed by French firm Coldefy and Italian practice CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati—stands as a bold blend of architecture and public space. Positioned near the main entrance on Yumeshima Island, the 3,600-square-meter pavilion is described by its creators as a “theater of life,” inviting both participation and observation.
A standout feature of the pavilion is a sculptural, copper-clad staircase that fronts the building and winds through the space. More than a design element, it acts as both an architectural gesture and a functional viewpoint, blurring the lines between inside and outside, individual and collective experience.
The pavilion’s layered design includes 17-meter-high fabric curtains that respond to wind and light, animating the façade and reinforcing its dynamic character. Above, a ceiling of acrylic rods diffuses natural light, adding to the immersive atmosphere.
Thomas Coldefy emphasized the intent to create an open and inclusive space, while Carlo Ratti noted the pavilion as a response to evolving architectural discourse—questioning the relationship between the natural and the artificial.
The France Pavilion explores the theme of Expo 2025, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” through a structure that balances monumentality with lightness, openness with shelter. It’s less about static form and more about the flow of people, ideas, and interactions—an architecture that acts as a living stage.