Titled Between Lives, the Japan Pavilion offers an immersive exploration of life’s continuous cycles of transformation where matter, energy, and spirit flow seamlessly between beings, elements, and technologies. Conceived as a circular narrative, the pavilion draws from a deeply-rooted Japanese worldview in which boundaries between self and other, nature and technology, dissolve. Visitors journey through three symbolic zones: the Factory, Plant, and Farm, each underscoring the idea that nothing is static, but everything is part of an intricate, regenerative loop.

Japan Pavilion

The Factory Area opens the experience with a gallery of soft things, where beloved character Doraemon introduces a vision of Japanese creativity as a blend of playfulness and wisdom. The space surprises visitors with poetic installations, such as diatomaceous earth artworks where droplets create ephemeral patterns, reminding that every moment is unique and fleeting. Algae-grown bioplastic furniture, like stools cultivated within the pavilion, embody the elegant merging of nature and industry, pointing toward a future of sustainable design.

Japan Pavilion

In the Plant Area, the focus shifts to the invisible yet vital forces that sustain life. Visitors encounter a Garden of Light, where bioluminescent microbes in fermentation tanks glow softly in the dark, reframing waste as resource and life as interconnection. The minimalist water courtyard (an expanse of pristine water purified from waste) acts as both a literal and symbolic mirror, reflecting the visitor and the universe in which we are all entangled. The presence of a rare meteorite from Antarctica further stretches this narrative into the cosmos, suggesting that cycles of energy and matter extend far beyond Earth.

The final Farm Area celebrates photosynthesis as the alchemy of life. A vertical algae curtain sways gently in filtered light, enveloping visitors in a breathing, living cocoon. Hello Kitty, clad in green algae, playfully guides guests through this futuristic indoor farm where algae promises new solutions for food, medicine, and materials. As the journey comes full circle, visitors leave with a renewed sense of life as an intricate web of connections, an invitation to rethink progress as a process of harmonic return.

Swiss Pavilion

The Swiss Pavilion, themed “From Heidi to High-Tech”, offers a poetic journey from the traditions of the Alps to the cutting-edge innovations of the 21st century. Designed by architect Manuel Herz and scenographer Bellprat Partner, the pavilion’s four interconnected spheres, housed under a translucent membrane, embody Swiss elegance, sustainability, and a deep respect for nature. Visitors enter through intricate Scherenschnitt paper art, symbolizing collaboration and shared futures.

The pavilion features four exhibition spaces, with the third sphere hosting a bi-monthly rotating exhibition. The first exhibit, themed “Augmented Human” showcases pioneering technologies, including robotic sensory skin, space exploration robots, and edible robotics, alongside an interactive Deepfakes Mirror that explores AI’s creative potential and challenges. Life explores bioengineering breakthroughs like Neur-xplorer, a tool for psychiatric diagnostics, highlighting the fusion of data, science, and care. Within the “Planet” cluster, Switzerland showcases its leadership in sustainability and environmental stewardship. Initiatives such as decarbonization efforts, and responsible space resource utilization highlight the country’s commitment to preserving the planet for future generations. The rooftop Heidi Café brings Swiss culinary culture to life with a fusion of Alpine and Japanese flavors.

The Swiss Pavilion is a harmonious blend of tradition, science, and diplomacy, a place where mountains meet algorithms, and imagination drives global dialogue.

France Pavilion

France’s “Voyage en pays d’amour” is a luminous ode to love as the force shaping a sustainable, harmonious future. Its architecture, evoking a beating heart, shimmers with translucent drapery and a sculptural couple at its core, inviting visitors into an emotional, multi-sensory experience. Inside, visitors encounter a fusion of iconic French heritage and cutting-edge innovation: from AI and neuroscience to luxury craftsmanship by LVMH, which occupies a significant portion of the pavilion.

Sustainability is woven into the design, a reusable structure, green roof, and efficient double skin show that love for the Earth must match love for each other. By framing love as a regenerative power, France’s pavilion offers a vision where technology and humanism coexist. It is an invitation to unite through empathy and creativity, and to imagine a future shaped not by competition, but by connection.

Singapore’s Dream Sphere invites visitors into a vision of the future shaped by hope, creativity, and sustainability. This striking 17-meter-tall sphere, adorned with 17,000 recycled aluminum discs, symbolizes Singapore’s enduring spirit, small in size but vast in dreams. The pavilion’s design, a nod to the nation’s “Little Red Dot” identity, is both a visual landmark and a statement of values: resilience, inclusivity, and environmental stewardship.

The journey unfolds across three immersive chapters. Chapter 1 introduces Singapore’s dreams through poetic animations by filmmaker Jerrold Chong and intricate paper sculptures by artists Melissa Tan and Ashley Yeo, evoking a “City in Nature”. Chapter 2 expands this vision, blending multimedia with Yeo’s paper art and Zul Mahmod’s soundscapes to explore a future where nature and urban life coexist. Finally, in Chapter 3, visitors enter the Dream Sphere itself, contributing their own aspirations to a dynamic projection of global dreams, reinforcing the belief that collective creativity shapes the future.

True to its tagline, Where Dreams Take Shape, the Singapore Pavilion is a multisensory invitation to imagine and create. It is a testament to how even the smallest places can inspire the boldest visions.