Commissioner General Soška signed a contract with the general contractor of the construction, the Japanese company Daisue, and introduced the Czech National Pavilion in virtual reality

"The opportunity to walk through the pavilion with 3D glasses, see it at a scale of 1:1, be able to catch all sorts of defects before we start building, and at the same time present a very realistic model to our contractors and potential partners is truly invaluable. From the very beginning, I designed the project to give talented Czech architects and suppliers a chance to showcase their potential and creativity, present themselves abroad and open up new opportunities for cooperation. That's why, for the first time in more than twenty years, we held an open architectural competition, which resulted in 38 great design proposals last year. The advantage of the architectural competition compared to the "Design & Build" approach used in previous years (i.e. a situation where you tender both the construction company and the architects at the same time) is the fact that we can better control the design and the whole process so that it is in line with the concept of the Czech participation approved by the Czech government in 2022," says Ondřej Soška, the Czech Commissioner General. 

The transformation of the Czech National Pavilion for the World EXPO 2025 in Osaka into a virtual reality experience has provided an exemplary demonstration of the benefits of modern virtual reality technologies. From the very early stages of the project, it was possible to walk through the pavilion in the Virtuplex hall and to fine-tune the model with the architects down to the last detail - from the materials used to the intensity of the light in the interior. Thanks to the virtual model, the very first video of the Czech National Pavilion was created.

"Together with Team EXPO Czechia, we extensively discussed and simulated, for example, the walk through the pavilion and its key parts. As you walk through the 1:1 scale model, you have the opportunity to perceive all distances, views of the interior, and also views of the exterior of the pavilion. The model also allows business partners to familiarise themselves with potential space utilisation scenarios through various interior solutions," says Martin Petrovický, co-founder and CEO of Virtuplex, describing the months of work.

After the architectural competition, the second step was to select a contractor - someone who would build the pavilion. "Since we could not find a Czech company with the necessary Japanese construction licence, we searched for Japanese companies willing to cooperate with Czech suppliers. We plan to import Czech wood and glass to Japan. Therefore, we invited six companies to tender for the general contractor based on previous indications of interest, and we received offers from three of them. The lowest bid was submitted by Daisue," explains Commissioner General Soška.

"We're very pleased to be involved in building the Czech National Pavilion and that we have been given such an honour. The Czech Pavilion will be a challenging structure - a CLT wooden structure covered with glass. However, our company is currently focusing more on timber construction and the Czech Pavilion serves as a great reference for future projects. We would like to develop closer cooperation with Czechia in the future," says Kazunori Murao, CEO and President of Daisue.

Following the signing of the contract at Virtuplex on Wednesday, 17 April 2024, Daisue will begin preparatory work at the Czech site on Yumeshima Island in Osaka.

"The pavilion will take advantage of its prominent location at the intersection of the coastal promenade and the main boulevard, attracting attention in all weather conditions with its dominant solitary mass and the visuality of the building's transparent glass shell. The façade, made of tabular art glass, is a reference to the rich history of glassmaking in the Czech region. It will offer unusual exhibition areas with a transformative interior atmosphere. The building will be an exhibition on its own," say architects Michal Gabaš and Tomáš Beránek from Apropos Architects.

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, VIP lounges 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.