Commissioner General's Notebook: The pavilion's rough construction, along with its glass façade, is close to completion

Friday, December 6, 2024 On Friday, December 6, 2024, the final wooden roof panel of the National Pavilion was installed, just less than three months after the assembly of the wooden supporting structure began. This panel is part of the roof of the Business Lounge, which we are now renaming to the CTP Lounge in honor of our National Partner, CTP - a development group with Czech roots. A video of the construction process can be viewed here.

Friday, December 13, 2024 Another week, another step forward on the journey to completing the Czech National Pavilion for EXPO 2025 on Yumeshima Island in Osaka, Japan. Construction work is progressing at a rapid pace, thanks to excellent collaboration with our partners and the extraordinary dedication of the entire team. Together, we are showcasing that Czechia has much to offer the world!

The building's supporting structure is essentially finished — two weeks ahead of a deadline that our Japanese colleagues deemed overly ambitious. Now comes the project's next unique phase: the glass façade installation by WIEDEN. This feature gives the pavilion a modern and elegant appearance. The glass panels create a striking contrast with the wooden structure, symbolising the fusion of traditional and contemporary materials with innovative design.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our partners, supporters, and colleagues who are helping us bring this exceptional project to life. Every comment and share is a tremendous source of motivation for our entire team!

Friday, December 20, 2024 Time flies relentlessly, and another challenging week is behind us. The supporting structure stands firm, and almost the entire A2 Timber assembly team has returned to Czechia. Only a smaller team remains on-site, focused on installing staircases and completing minor finishing touches.

On Friday, our pavilion was visited by internationally renowned architect Sou Fujimoto, the mastermind behind the entire EXPO 2025 exhibition site master plan and the iconic wooden Grand Ring. I was pleased to give him a tour of the building and to once again express our gratitude for his guidance last November, which helped us secure the construction permit for this technologically advanced building.

At the same time, I bring you more updates from the construction site.

I am delighted that all the teams from A2 Timber have proven that CLT buildings are not only highly eco-friendly but can also be constructed at an unprecedented speed.

For over two weeks now, the assembly team from WIEDEN has also been in Japan, installing the glass façade. They’re working diligently, and the glass panels are going up quickly. Christmas is not celebrated here, so work will continue next week. Even the management of the Japanese main contractor, Daisue Construction, now acknowledges that these construction tasks will be completed ahead of schedule. Isn’t it amazing to see how the Czechs are earning respect in such a demanding field?

The construction site currently resembles an anthill, with several Japanese companies starting their work simultaneously. Electrical cables and technological networks are being distributed, partitions are being built, and drywall cladding compliant with Japanese fire safety standards is being installed. The roof structure is also progressing rapidly, including the installation of glass panels for the #CTPLounge. This exclusive space will offer guests a unique view of EXPO 2025 and the dancing fountain.

Curious about how a national pavilion for a world exhibition like EXPO 2025 is built but missed previous updates? Read the Commissioner General’s Notes from September and October 2024 here, and those from November at this link.

Monday, December 30, 2024 For a change, I’m bringing you the latest and regular construction update from the Czech National Pavilion at the EXPO 2025 exhibition site this Monday. Assembly teams worked intensively through Christmas up until Friday when strong winds halted work on the façade. As construction activities at the EXPO 2025 site will be paused this week, the workers will return on Monday, January 6.

The WIEDEN team continues to install the glass panels for the pavilion’s façade. This unique building envelope is taking on its final appearance, emphasizing the harmonious blend of modern architecture and traditional materials. It’s already clear that our pavilion will be one of the most striking features of the entire exhibition. Positioned next to Yoichi Ochiai's futuristic pavilion, it creates a compelling contrast.

Inside the pavilion, the installation of electrical and technological networks is ongoing. Drywall partitions and cladding, meeting strict Japanese standards, are also being completed.

The glazing of the #CTPLounge on the rooftop terrace is nearly finished, and the entire terrace space is being finalized. This area will offer guests a breathtaking view of the dancing fountain and the main exhibition spaces.

I’ll be taking a short break from reporting this week. The next update can be expected around January 10, 2025.

About the Czech Pavilion at EXPO 2025 In December 2022, after more than twenty years, the Office of the Commissioner General announced an open, anonymous architectural competition to design the National Pavilion for EXPO 2025. Thirty-eight studios have participated, and in March 2023 a jury of experts led by the world-renowned architect Eva Jiřičná selected the winning design: a glass spiral by Apropos Architects. The main structure of the building will be made of modern wood panels, while the façade will feature art glass, which has a centuries-old tradition in Czechia. The National Pavilion, which will be located on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Osaka Bay from April to October 2025, will provide a prestigious setting for Czech participation at  EXPO 2025. The pavilion will house a permanent exhibition, a multifunctional auditorium, facilities for business meetings, restaurants, a CTP lounge, and a relaxation area overlooking the sea.

About the Czech participation at EXPO 2025 This will be the sixth time that Czechia has taken part in a world exhibition as an independent state. Ondřej Soška, who won the Ministry of Foreign Affairs selection process with his concept and theme "Talent and Creativity for Life", has been serving as Commissioner General since September 2022. Czechia aims to showcase not only what the Japanese already know and admire, such as Czech glass and classical music, but above all Czech innovations, nanotechnologies, promising start-ups and talent from the regions.