Photo: © Stefan Schilling
In Japan, Austria is regarded as a country of music, characterised by the first and second Viennese classical periods. In combination with the motto of the Expo - "Creating Society for Future Lives" - the central leitmotif of the Austrian pavilion has emerged from this perception of the country: "Austria - Composing the Future" - in Austria, the future is not "designed", here it is composed.
The Austrian pavilion takes its guests from the past to the future, from the known to the unknown, from the classical music of the 18th and 19th centuries to a contemporary, modern Austria.
Austria - Composing the Future
The Austrian pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka
Client: Austrian Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism and Austrian Federal Economic Chamber
Year: 2025
Pavilions and world exhibitions
Visualisation: facts and fiction
Photo: © Stefan Schilling
A sculptural band of sheet music dominates the exterior of the pavilion and makes it clear from afar: this is all about music! Inside, the ribbon guides visitors through the three exhibition rooms. The first room centres on relations between Austria and Japan - and their musical beginnings. In 1869, Emperor Franz Josef presented the tenno with a grand piano - complete with pianist. Accordingly, a historical grand piano can be heard to great effect in the centre of the first interior room. There is music - in the truest sense of the word - in the relationship between the two countries!
Visualisation: facts and fiction
In the second room, oversized sheet music presents unexpected innovations and surprising technologies from Austria as interactive exhibits - as an important centre of business and innovation, the country has much more to offer than just music.
Photo: © Stefan Schilling
Finally, in the third room, visitors are invited to contribute to the composition of the future themselves. Which topics are particularly important, what kind of future do they want? Through their choices, the visitors influence both the visual presentation of the room and the music in the room. Together, those present create their own personal composition of the future, an emotional musical arrangement, a visually stunning show, which of course also shows the innovative power and beauty of Austria.
Photo: © Stefan Schilling
bwm Architekten from Vienna is responsible for the architecture of the pavilion. They have commissioned facts and fiction to develop and design the exhibition in the pavilion. Nüssli is responsible for the realisation. The client is the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.