From 7 to 13 May 2025, the Belgian Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka opened its doors to architects, designers, engineers, and design enthusiasts from around the world for Belgian Architecture and Design Week (BADW), a unique celebration of innovation, sustainable construction, and circular design.
Over the course of the week, participants explored the Belgian Pavilion through presentations, guided tours, workshops, and panel discussions, gaining exclusive insights into the design and construction of the pavilion by Carré 7 and Poly-Tech. The pavilion itself served as a living showcase of modular, reversible, and environmentally conscious design, demonstrating how Belgian architecture harmonizes aesthetics with ethics.
Highlights of the Week
Behind the Scenes of the Belgian Pavilion
Visitors were taken on a captivating journey through the pavilion’s creation, from initial concept to final construction, guided by the pavilion’s lead architects. This session offered a rare glimpse into the challenges and creative decisions behind an international Expo project, emphasizing sustainability and collaboration across borders.
Sustainability in Practice
Through keynotes and demonstrations, experts shared concrete strategies for sustainable building. Vincent Pirnay, Managing Director of Poly-Tech Engineering, introduced tools like PEB (Energy Performance of Buildings), TOTEM (Life Cycle Assessment tailored to Belgium), and GRO (Sustainability evaluation for public buildings), showing how ecological responsibility is measured and implemented in real-world projects.
BIM for Deconstruction Management
Students from the University of Mons demonstrated how digital modeling (BIM) can support circular construction. Their hands-on experiments explored sustainable deconstruction strategies, highlighting how education, innovation, and practice intersect to shape the next generation of architects.
Keynotes on Reuse and Circularity
Belgian and Japanese experts, including Laurent Ney, Kengo Kuma, and Pascal Simoens, shared insights into sustainable infrastructure, circular design, and the integration of cultural identity in architecture. These sessions illustrated how thoughtful design can reduce material use, track CO₂ emissions, and create lasting, low-impact structures.
Documentary Screenings
Two exclusive films offered a cinematic lens on architecture:
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Behind the Scenes of the Belgian Pavilion explored the human stories, milestones, and creative decisions behind the pavilion.
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Beyond the Pavilion by Mister Emma presented the work of Walloon architects on the global stage, revealing how sustainability, identity, and visionary design intersect in contemporary architecture.
Tours and International Collaboration
Attendees also experienced hands-on tours of other pavilions, including the Serbian and Luxembourg pavilions, discovering how playful, resilient, and culturally sensitive design can inspire sustainable innovation worldwide.
A Week of Inspiration
Belgian Architecture and Design Week demonstrated the power of architecture to connect people, communities, and ideas while promoting a circular and sustainable future. By combining technical innovation, ecological responsibility, and human-centered design, the Belgian Pavilion and BADW underscored how Belgium continues to set an example for global architecture, building for today while safeguarding the resources of tomorrow.
