Expo 2025 Osaka: design and build the Belgian pavilion for the world expo!

BelExpo is launching the public tender for the design, construction, maintenance and dismantling of the Belgian pavilion for the world expo that will take place in Osaka from 13 April to 13 October 2025.

What are we looking for?

We are seeking the help of a consortium consisting of at least one architect certified in Belgium, one architect certified in Japan and one contractor certified in Japan. The public tender covers the design, construction, maintenance and dismantling of the pavilion itself, but not the elaboration of the visitor experience. A separate tender will be launched for that later.

As a first step, we are asking interested architects and contractors to submit a joint application with the necessary references, CV and so on, as requested in the Selection Guide (only available in French and Dutch).

Applications can be submitted until 9 December 2022. When submitting your candidature, keep in mind that great importance is attached to the Belgian character of the pavilion, sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship, and that knowledge of the Japanese context is an added value.

A maximum budget of € 9.800.000,- will be made available (including all taxes and allowances). We do however expect applicants to find and bring in sponsors themselves to add economic value to the pavilion.

Osaka 2025

The Osaka 2025 world expo will focus on the theme 'Designing Future Society for Our Lives'. Themes such as climate change, the balance between work and personal development and the United Nations SDGs will play a leading role during the expo. The Belgian pavilion will be part of the 'Saving Lives' district. Belgium and its federated states will therefore put additional focus on that sub-theme in our pavilion.

Each edition, the world expo attracts visitors who are looking for experiences with their families on the one hand, and professional visitors who are mainly interested in the latest developments, materials and specialised solutions on the other. Visitors' expectations in this respect are diverse: from being impressed to learning something. The core objective of the expo is to showcase the industrial and scientific progress of the participating countries. In doing so, however, it is equally important that each country manages to impress and entertain visitors.

Our aim for Expo 2025 Osaka is therefore to offer visitors an innovative and immersive experience presenting Belgium and its federated states as a progressive, dynamic country that is open to the world, technologically advanced, rich in research and development, with an international-level education system, a diverse and varied culture, and an ecosystem favourable to businesses, focused on sustainable development and in which pioneering solutions to save lives are being developed.

There is no focus on individual companies or products during a world expo, but rather on countries. Therefore, the brand image of our country and its federated states should be reflected in the architecture and supported by the infrastructure of our pavilion.

Dubai 2020

The Dubai 2020 world expo closed earlier this year and is considered a great success, including the Belgian participation. Our pavilion, the "Green Arch" was on display in the Mobility District, with lots of greenery and wood, corresponding to the theme 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future'.

Apply

An application to participate can be submitted by 9 December 2022.

How to apply? Applications must be submitted electronically through the e-Tendering electronic platform. Offers are expected to be submitted in the same manner at a later date.

Selection

The selection procedure, as well as details about our requirements and the selection criteria, are further explained in the Selection Guide (only available in French and Dutch). This can be found via the following link: e-Notification (publicprocurement.be). Only the selected candidates (maximum 3) will receive the detailed Tender Guide with all technical requirements at a subsequent stage and will be invited to submit a design and an offer.

Grab your chance to be part of this unique project and showcase your work on an international scale: design and build the Belgian pavilion for the Expo 2025 Osaka world expo from start to finish!