Commissioner General's notebook: Construction of the Czech National Pavilion for EXPO 2025 on schedule

Friday 27 September 2024 The Czech National Pavilion officially started construction in mid-May, and over the summer our general contractor, the Japanese construction company Daisue, did all the preparatory work and built the foundations of our pavilion. These are absolutely crucial for the construction - they must be sufficient support for possible earthquakes and typhoons.

On Tuesday, 17 September 2024, Czech assemblers from A2 Timber, led by the experienced construction manager Martin Povala, began the preparatory work for the assembly of the wooden structure - and today, after ten days, they have successfully completed the assembly of the first underground floor. The Czech National Pavilion for EXPO 2025 will be the first and only building of its kind made of wooden panels without the use of steel construction in Japan. One of the main advantages of modern wood buildings is not only their long-term sustainability; but especially the speed and cleanliness of construction - and we are making the most of this efficiency!

From now on, we will keep you regularly updated on the construction progress every Friday. So follow our social media profiles, especially the LinkedIn of Commissioner General Soška, the LinkedIn of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025, and Twitter / X @expo2025czechia.

Friday 4 October 2024 This week, from 28 September to 4 October 2024, the excellent assembly team led by Martin Povala continued to work intensively on the Czech National Pavilion for EXPO 2025.

They completed the assembly of the basement structure and covered the floors during the last weekend. On Monday, they began installing the load-bearing walls of the inner core. Each panel weighs several tons, but from a distance, it looks like the installers were working with Legos.

Even our Japanese partners are surprised by the speed of the work. They didn't trust our work schedule much at first, and now they are surprised at the speed and efficiency of installing the CLT panels. Although Thursday and Friday's work was affected by rain and wind, which prevented the men from working for several hours, progress is still on schedule. Our unique construction not only saves time, but by using CLT panels, we are contributing to long-term sustainability and showing the golden Czech hands in practice.

Friday 11 October 2024 During the week of October 5 to October 11, 2024, the construction is progressing on schedule, although we were slowed down slightly by the inclement weather last weekend.

This week, a second crew of fitters led by Patrik Štancl of A2 Timber are working hard to complete the inner core of the building. On Saturday, the installation of the auditorium floor and securing the supporting elements will be completed. On Monday, the fitters will move on to the outer core. As you can see in the photos, the assembly of the pavilion involves a significant amount of connecting elements - about three times more than would be needed in Czechia. This is due to Japan's strict earthquake resistance standards. The safety of visitors and workers is therefore the first priority.

On Monday, we were visited by two Japanese TV crews from TV Asahi and ABC TV, and Kansai TV, respectively, who filmed the current state of the construction and were interested in the unique elements of the pavilion.

Friday 18 October 2024 During the week of October 12 to October 18, 2024, the inner core of the pavilion was completely finished, as was the auditorium floor. There, the first team started the installation of the internal balconies. The second team then proceeded to install the outer core. The shape of the pavilion is now taking on a clearer outline. It's really fascinating to see how sophisticated the whole solution is and how the virtual 3D model turns into reality before our eyes. The Czech-Japanese teams continue to focus on every detail to ensure the highest quality of the entire construction. The CLT wood panels not only look great, but they are also a demonstration of the sustainability on which the entire project is built. And they smell divinely of the Czech forest.

CLT panels (CLT stands for cross-laminated timber, editor's note) represent the latest technology in the timber industry. All the wood for the national pavilion comes from the Czech forests. We greatly appreciate the support of the Forests of the Czech Republic, Vojenské lesy a statky ČR (the Military Forests and Estates of the Czech Republic), and the Krkonoše National Park and their supplies for the Czech National Pavilion. There are other important milestones ahead of us and the Czech-Japanese teams are working hard to meet them.

Friday 25 October 2024 The construction work on the Czech Pavilion moved forward significantly during the week of 19th to 25th October 2024. As can be seen in the bird's eye view, the wooden structure is taking on a more specific shape and the pavilion is already taking shape in its final form. Further parts of the external envelope were installed this week, and the lift shaft is now in place.

The installation of internal balconies, which will form the auditorium, has begun and is continuing at the site of the multifunctional auditorium. A total of 170 seats will then be attached to them, from which it will be possible to watch not only the cultural program; but also to participate in professional conferences.

Friday 1 November 2024 The weather is still quite favourable; therefore the construction of the Czech pavilion continues in the week from 26 October to 1 November at a fast pace.

The construction team, led by Lukas Náprava, focused this week on finishing the outer core of the building as well as installing the interior balconies. I admit that even though the designers and structural engineers assured me that the balconies would not move, I was a little worried that they would feel minor vibrations. After all, the leverage is quite considerable. I have good news - all the balconies are absolutely solid and will hold me up.

Then in the last picture, you can see the detailed fixings that ensure maximum stability and safety of the whole structure. Each element is carefully manufactured and seated to ensure that the pavilion is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing and resistant to the harsh climatic conditions in Japan, as the safety of our staff and visitors is our top priority.

See more pictures from the construction site in our gallery:

About Czech pavilion at EXPO 2025 In December 2022, after more than twenty years, the Office of the Czech Commissioner General announced an open anonymous architectural competition for the design of the national pavilion for EXPO 2025. A total of 38 teams entered the competition, from which an expert jury headed by world-renowned architect Eva Jiřičná selected the winning design in the shape of a glass spiral by Apropos Architects in March 2023. The load-bearing structure of the building will consist of modern wooden panels, while the façade will be made of art glass, which has a centuries-old tradition in Czechia. The National Pavilion will offer a worthy backdrop for the Czech participation in EXPO 2025, which will be held from April to October 2025 on the artificial island of Yumeshima in the Osaka Bay. The pavilion will house a permanent exhibition, a multifunctional auditorium, facilities for business meetings, a restaurant, a VIP lounge and a relaxation area in front of the pavilion with a view of the sea.

About Czech participation at EXPO 2025 Czechia as an independent state will participate in the World EXPO for the sixth time. Ondřej Soška, who won the tender of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic last spring with his concept and theme "Talent and Creativity for Life", has been the Commissioner General since September 2022. Czechia should present itself in Osaka not only with what the Japanese know very well and have long admired, such as Czech glass and classical music, but especially with Czech innovations, nanotechnologies, promising start-ups and regional talents.