Expo 2025 Osaka: Award-Winning Pavilion Designs and Architectural Highlights

A month after Expo 2025 Osaka concluded, the innovative designs and structures showcased at the world’s fair continue to leave a lasting impact. Among the standout projects, the Bahrain Pavilion by Lina Ghotmeh Architecture received special attention for earning dual recognition, though it was just one of many celebrated pavilions. During the awards ceremony held on the second-to-last night of the Expo, 45 awards were distributed across 165 participating nations.

The Official Participant Awards honor excellence in several categories, including Architecture and Landscape (for self-built pavilions), External Design (for module pavilions), Exhibition Design, Theme Development, and Sustainability. Winners were selected by an international jury of nine experts who evaluated all national and thematic pavilions during two review sessions in May and October 2025. Below is an overview of the 45 pavilions recognized across the five award categories.

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Pavilion Types and Award Categories

According to the Expo 2025 Master Plan and Design Guidelines, official participant pavilions are categorized into three main types. Type A self-built pavilions are constructed on plots with basic utility connections provided by the organizers. Participants handle the design, construction, installation, and eventual dismantling and restoration of their sites. The Architecture and Landscape Awards specifically acknowledged Type A pavilions that demonstrated exceptional harmony between architectural design, spatial planning, and the surrounding environment.

• Self-Built Pavilions – Type A (over 1,500 m²):
  • Gold: Saudi Arabia Pavilion, Foster + Partners
  • Silver: Spanish Pavilion, ENORME Studio, Smart and Green Design, and EXTUDIO
  • Bronze: United Arab Emirates Pavilion, Earth to Ether Collective
• Self-Built Pavilions – Type A (under 1,500 m²):
  • Gold: Bahrain Pavilion, Lina Ghotmeh Architecture
  • Silver: Czechia Pavilion, Apropos Architects
  • Bronze: Switzerland Pavilion, Manuel Herz Architects

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EUmies Awards and International Jury

The Awards celebrate contemporary architectural achievements worldwide, highlighting projects completed between May 2023 and April 2025. Submissions come from national architectural associations, independent experts, and the Awards Advisory Committee. For this cycle, the EUmies Awards 2026 Jury is chaired by Chilean architect Smiljan Radić and includes:

• Carl Bäckstrand (Sweden), Deputy CEO of White Arkitekter, sustainable design specialist
• Chris Briffa (Malta), founder of Chris Briffa Architects, noted for contemporary interventions in historic contexts
• Zaiga Gaile (Latvia), architect and conservationist, expert in Riga’s wooden and industrial heritage
• Tina Gregorič (Slovenia), co-founder of Dekleva Gregorič Architects, known for research-driven, context-sensitive design
• Nikolaus Hirsch (Germany/Belgium), architect, curator, and educator, artistic director of CIVA Brussels
• Rosa Rull (Spain), co-founder of BAILORULL + ADD Arquitectura, focused on architecture as an evolving urban process

From 410 nominations, the jury will announce a shortlist of 40 projects in January 2026, followed by seven finalists in February. In spring 2026, jury members will visit finalist sites to engage directly with architects, clients, and local communities. Winners in the Architecture and Emerging Architecture categories will be revealed in April 2026 in Oulu, one of the European Capitals of Culture that year.

The Awards Ceremony will take place at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona during the EUmies Awards Days on May 11–12, 2026. The event will include debates, presentations, exhibitions, and the launch of the EUmies Awards Out&About program, inviting citizens to explore shortlisted projects across Europe.

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