Commissioned by the Singapore Tourism Board, the Singapore Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka was envisioned as a physical and symbolic embodiment of the nation’s ethos—small in size, big in dreams.
Rethinking The Future Awards 2025
First Award | Pop-ups and Temporary (Built)
Project Name: Singapore Pavilion
Category: Pop-ups and Temporary (Built)
Studio Name: DP Architects
Design Team: DP Architects, Kingsmen Exhibits Pte Ltd, KR+D, Presplay, Milla & Partner GmbH, Finding Pictures
Area: 1,003 sqm plot size, 1,766sqm GFA
Year: 2025
Location: Osaka, Kansai, Japan
Consultants:
Photography Credits: The Singapore Pavilion, Expo Osaka 2025
Render Credits: The Singapore Pavilion, Expo Osaka 2025
Other Credits:
The brief called for a highly experiential, sustainable structure that captures Singapore’s identity while aligning with the Expo’s theme, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” It aimed to position Singapore as a forward-looking, inclusive, and environmentally responsible nation.
National pavilions at the World Expo play a pivotal role in sharing a country’s ambitions on the global stage, showcasing its aspirations, commitments and innovative solutions. The Pavilion highlights how architecture can serve as a vehicle for purpose-driven experiences, and a powerful medium to communicate aspirations and champion values such as sustainability and inclusivity.
Occupying a compact 1,003sqm site on Yumeshima Island, tight planning constraints had to be navigated, including height restrictions, fire and seismic safety codes. Additional challenges included managing high visitor throughput and ensuring universal accessibility—all within a limited footprint.
The pavilion takes the form of a 17-metre-tall sphere inspired by the term of endearment, “Little Red Dot.” Its façade is clad in 17,000 recycled aluminium Dream Discs, creating a shimmering, textural surface that represents the collective aspirations of Singaporeans. Constructed using prefabricated steel and modular systems, the structure allows for efficient assembly and disassembly, with reduced environmental impact. Rooftop Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) partially offset energy use, reinforcing its alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Inside, visitors embark on a multi-sensory journey through immersive media, art, and kinetic installations that tell stories of Singapore’s people, culture, and sustainable progress. A key feature is the Dream Forest—a biophilic environment echoing Singapore’s rewilding efforts—while curated exterior landscaping further underscores a vision of urban-nature harmony.
The experience is extended through an integrated retail space and café, showcasing local products and flavours. The Singapore Pavilion stands not just as an architectural icon, but as a vessel of shared dreams and values—inviting global audiences to imagine, collaborate, and shape a more resilient, inclusive, and loveable future.
