"Tessellated veil" cloaks UK Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka

London-based studio Woo Architects referenced the industrial revolution in its design for the UK Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, which features a pixelated facade made from folded, perforated metal.

The 14-metre-tall pavilion has a temporary structure built by contractor ES Global, wrapped in folded sheets of powder-coated aluminium to create a 3D gridded surface pattern.

Square perforations on the facade are intended to mimic punch cards from the early 19th century, particularly those applied to textile looms to create intricate woven patterns.

"The pavilion's layered, tessellated veil takes its cue from the early innovations of the industrial revolution," said Woo Architects.

"Perforated panels echo the punched cards once used in textile looms," it continued.

"This delicate skin pays tribute to the textile industries that fuelled industrial revolutions in both the UK and Japan, weaving together a shared legacy of innovation with a bold, digital-age vision."

Aiming to embody the Expo's theme, Designing Future Society for Our Lives, Woo Architects drew similarities between the perforated loom punch cards and patterns of binary code used by computers to process data.

"Those same punched motifs reappeared in the inventions of British pioneers like Charles Babbage, who used them in his mechanical computer and Ada Lovelace, the world's first computer programmer," said the studio.

"Over time, these patterns evolved into the binary code and pixels that now underpin Britain's globally recognised film and gaming industries – linking past and present through the language of pattern, precision and progress."

Woo Architects worked with London-based studio Stuart Forbes Associates on the pavilion's interior, which includes gallery spaces, conference rooms, a gift shop, terrace bar and tea rooms.

The three-storey pavilion also contains an exhibition named after the Expo's theme, created by design studio Immersive International to showcase creative innovation from the UK. Accessibility has been prioritised throughout, with a continuous ramp used to guide visitors.

"The pavilion's design celebrates Britain at a pivotal moment," said Woo Architects director Emma Owens. "Our global reputation for innovation and creativity shines through, while the playful facade reflects our innate curiosity and ability to find opportunity in every challenge."

"This is a space where a rich historic narrative comes alive, and we hope it inspires conversations about British resilience and industriousness for years to come."

Situated on the waterfront at the southern end of the Expo site, the UK Pavilion has outdoor terraces designed to offer views of water and air shows taking place over the site's Water Plaza.

Gardens at the front of the pavilion take cues from British landscapes, aiming to provide a tranquil space for visitors to explore.

Built with a 10-by-10-metre grid structure on a lightweight foundation system, the UK Pavilion is designed to be demountable and reusable, similarly to the majority of pavilions at this year's World Expo.

The Expo 2025 Osaka and its pavilions opened on 13 April on Yumeshima Island in Osaka Bay and will remain until 13 October.

ES Global is currently exploring opportunities to rebuild the UK Pavilion elsewhere at the end of the event.

"The beauty of the reconfigurable system is that it is designed to be transported and relocated extremely efficiently, so it could go anywhere," ES Global told Dezeen. "We are receiving early enquiries and exploring potential opportunities, including in Japan and the UK."

Dezeen rounded up 10 stand-out pavilions at the Expo, including the France Pavilion with its high copper staircase and the Uzbekistan Pavilion, which is made up of a forest-like cluster of wooden columns.

The photography is by Hufton and Crow.

Expo 2025 Osaka takes place in Osaka until 13 October 2025. For more fairs, events and talks in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.

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