Architecture design firm Buchan will lead the design for the Australian Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka.

Buchan will partner with Japanese architectural and urban design firm Nikken Sekkei to deliver the project in Osaka. The two firms have enjoyed a long-standing relationship, collaborating on many successful projects over the last decade.

Expo 2025 Osaka, ‘Designing Future Society for our Lives’, will focus on developing and adopting best practices from around the world to drive co-creation by the global community in designing a sustainable society that supports social challenges, emerging sciences and evolving technologies.

“Our appointment on this project reflects the collective design strength of our team, which brings together architecture and design talent from across Buchan globally”, says Buchan chief executive officer Stephen Auld.

According to him, the 130-year-old firm is honoured to be selected to design the Australian Pavilion on behalf of the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

The Australian Pavilion will be represented alongside 150 participating nation’s pavilions at Expo, which is anticipated to attract 28 million visitors from across the globe from 13 April 2025 to 13 October 2025.

 “Australia’s Expo theme ’Chasing the Sun’, anchors our design narrative, which encapsulates both the power and beauty of the sun on the land and people tens of thousands of years,” says Buchan creative lead Dong Uong.

“The Pavilion will be a symbol of Australian people, and take design cues from Australia’s natural beauty.”

According to lead architect Nataly Ernst, Buchan’s design and ESG aspirations for the national pavilion will be unparalleled. 

“Our goal with the pavilion is to make an indelible impact, without leaving a trace,” she says.

“The architecture will be guided by sustainable design principles and materials.”

Also, Buchan recently announced new hires to meet the demands of a changing market.