While the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, will welcome its first visitors in April 2025, the Czech Republic has already achieved a significant milestone. Following South Korea, it has become the second country to enter the crucial preparation phase by obtaining a construction permit for its pavilion.
The Czech pavilion at EXPO 2025 will take the form of a spiral.
“In October, we signed a participation agreement among the first nine countries, and now we are the second to submit a request for a temporary building permit to the authorities in Osaka. This is an important milestone in obtaining the construction permit,” stated Ondřej Soška, the General Commissioner for Czech Participation at EXPO 2025, in a statement sent to Novinky.
“We are aware of the rising costs of materials and labor in Japan, which, like the Czech Republic, is grappling with inflation,” Soška added.
“However, we are doing our utmost to showcase a unique national pavilion that will become one of the largest wooden structures in the Czech Republic and is already garnering attention far beyond our borders. We expect it to be among the exhibition’s most interesting and distinctive pavilions,” he concluded.
Due to its spiral shape, the Czech building at Expo 2025 will encourage visitors to move.
Spiral of Glass and Wood
“The pavilion will include a permanent exhibition, a multifunctional auditorium, facilities for business negotiations, a restaurant, VIP areas, and a relaxation zone with a sea view,” reminded Jana Kohoutová, the Director of Communication and Spokesperson for Czech Participation.
In December 2022, after over twenty years, the Office of the General Commissioner announced an open anonymous architectural competition to design the national pavilion.
A total of 38 competing teams submitted their proposals. In March 2023, the expert jury led by internationally acclaimed architect Eva Jiřičná selected the winning design – a glass spiral by Apropos Architects.
The structure’s main framework will consist of modern wooden panels, while the facade will feature artistic glass, a material with a centuries-old tradition in the Czech Republic.
EXPO 2025 will host 153 countries and eight international organizations, with 56 countries or regions planning to construct their pavilion (Type A). Other nations and organizations intend to lease pre-prepared spaces from the organizers.
The budget for Czech participation is estimated at around 500 million Czech koruna (CZK), with the Czech government approving a budget of 290.2 million CZK from 2023 to 2026.
Additional financial support will come from private companies, organizations, and institutions, with a planned range of 170-220 million CZK.