Winner of the Baltic Pavilion design contest for Expo 2025 Osaka

Winners of the design contest

1st place: We Are One

The winning concept was created by designer Artūrs Analts (Variant Studio), design agency Ozols IR, architecture office 7 A.M., media agency Inspired, advertising production company Yes We Can, and information technology company Datu Tehnoloģiju Grupa. The concept features a unique interactive installation that creates a meditative space, highlighting the interaction between nature, people, and technology. The centrepiece of the design is a green glass wall symbolising our planet, including the Baltic green forests.

Using unique technology, condensation forms on the glass, turning the wall into an interactive platform where every visitor is invited to leave their message. This prompts philosophical reflections on the footprints we leave on the planet during our lives. Each message fades after a few minutes, creating a new platform for the next symbolic «footprints», thus symbolising the 21st-century challenge of building a socially responsible and environmentally friendly society. This intuitive experience resonates emotionally with every visitor, regardless of gender, age, language, and religion. It invites us to unite for a better future. A wall like this was also the central element in the installation Matter to Matter, with which designer Artūrs Analts represented Latvia at the London Design Biennale 2018, winning the medal for best design.

Visitors to the pavilion will be invited on a sensory journey through the Baltic region, providing an unforgettable experience for all senses: the exhibition will be enveloped in the scents of the Baltic forests and soil, complemented by specially composed musical accompaniment from Latvia and Lithuania. The pavilion entrance will be remarkable as well: it is made of smart glass that can change its optical properties. When activated, it forms a unified entrance to the pavilion; when deactivated, it reveals products available for purchase.

2nd place: Trail to Innovation. Walk With Us!

The jury awarded the honourable second place to the design Trail to Innovation. Walk With Us! by Bellprat Partner from Switzerland. The idea is based on a close connection not only between Latvia and Lithuania but also between nature and innovation. The design’s concept revolves around two themes: Magic of Nature and Human Willpower. It invites visitors to celebrate the beauty of nature and discover it with all senses, while also following the path to the future. The pavilion’s central element is a real birch forest, which visitors can walk through on winding paths, crossing water bodies, inhaling the fresh scent of grass, and observing sunrises and sunsets. Walking along the paths, visitors can participate in five interactive stations: sounding stones, singing shells, a blazing campfire, a pond as a portal, and intuitive amber.

3rd place: Health Horizon

Third place was awarded to the design Health Horizon submitted by Facts and Fiction from Germany. The design highlights that Latvia and Lithuania are known not only for their stunning natural landscapes, rich history, and dynamic culture but also as pioneers of the digital society. AUthores emphasises the two key elements for a healthy life: that nature reduces stress and improves well-being, while digital achievements create efficient systems and enhance medical care. The pavilion’s activities are based on both natural and digital experiences, demonstrating how the natural world harmoniously coexists with technological innovations, promoting a healthy and fulfilling life.

About the competition

Iveta Strupkāja, chairwoman of the jury commission comments: «This time, the competition attracted a wide range of participants. We received many professional and content-rich applications. The winning design convinced us not only with its precise alignment with the exhibition’s theme and goals but also with its ability to find and highlight what unites Latvia and Lithuania: a strong culture and traditions, a quality living environment, and the ability to create innovative solutions using unique technologies.»

he design contest organised by LIAA and the State Chancellery of the Republic of Lithuania received 14 designs for a joint Baltic (Latvian and Lithuanian) pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan. Contestants had to submit a conceptual idea, spatial vision development, and a project implementation plan that aligns with the exhibition’s central theme, Designing Future Society for Our Lives, and the goal of creating an exhibition based on participation, oriented towards experience, and solution creation.

The submitted works were evaluated by a jury from Latvia and Lithuania: Iveta Strupkāja, acting director of LIAA, acting director of the body responsible for Latvia’s participation in Expo 2025; Edmunds Valantis, state secretary of the Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia, representative of the Ministry responsible for Latvia’s participation in Expo 2025; Inese Šīrava, director of the LIAA Tourism Department: Zane Biteniece, head of the LIAA Nation Branding Division; Reinis Liepiņš, architect, founder of the Sudraba Arhitektūra, member of the Latvian Association of Architects; Julija Reklaitė, director of Lithuanian Culture Institute; Andrius Geležauskas, Expo Osaka 2025 project manager, Lithuanian Government Office; Eglė Kudzmanienė, communication department adviser, Lithuanian Government Office; Rūta Nemunytė, director of marketing and communication at Invest Lithuania; Gintaras Balčytis, chairman of the Lithuanian Union of Architects.

Negotiations will begin with the design contest winner on signing a procurement contract. The project implementation amount is 2 million euros. Additionally, the top three winners of the competition will receive cash prizes: 1st place — 10,000 euros, 2nd place — 7,000 euros, and 3rd place — 5,000 euros.

Expo 2025 Osaka

Expo is the world’s most significant exhibition for national image building and export capacity promotion, addressing not only economic but also globally important social issues. The exhibition will take place in Osaka, Kansai region, Japan, from April 13 to October 13, 2025. It will feature 160 countries, 9 international organizations, and is expected to attract more than 28 million visitors from around the world. More about the exhibition — on the Expo 2025 Osaka homepage.

In addition to Latvia’s participation in the Baltic Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, a separate business programme will be developed, offering Latvian companies the opportunity to participate in industry exhibitions, trade missions, visits, and other events. More information about participation opportunities will follow, as the business program is currently in the preparation stage.