The lighting design for the UK Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka draws on a sense of playful Britishness, expressed in the animated facade, while the interior lighting balances refined British and Japanese influences, all delivered using locally sourced Japanese equipment wherever possible.
Subtle lighting to the paths and foliage draws people through the foreground landscape towards the Pavilion. The lighting approach varies with the landscape design, as each area reflects a different landscape typology from the British Isles. A playful nod to British heritage is introduced through an illuminated traditional red phone box, adding a distinctive and lighthearted moment to the journey.
After dark, the building is transformed as light animates the perforated facade to reveal the Union Jack Flag behind it. Dynamic programming brings the flag to life, creating a rippling effect reminiscent of fabric moving in the wind. For evening events, the facade lighting can shift to a more pixelated animation, playfully referencing the 8-bit aesthetic of the exhibition design and its animated character, PIX, created by Immersive International.
Inside, the ground floor lighting is defined by a series of glowing coffered ceilings inspired by traditional Japanese architecture. These warmly lit coffers create a welcoming atmosphere, while additional lighting punctuates the space to highlight retail displays and provide intuitive wayfinding toward the upper-level event spaces.
In the café, the coffer design evolves with suspended globe lights at the centre of each group, evoking oversized lanterns that add a soft, ambient glow to the dining experience. Wall-mounted picture lights reference classic British interiors and complement the use of Liberty print textiles throughout.
A bold rhythm of light fixtures signal the VIP entrance, contrasting with the calm and elegant atmosphere of the VIP rooms inside. Decorative pendants, floor lamps, and subtle highlights to feature walls help create serene and sophisticated spaces in the meeting rooms and green room, reflecting the blend of tradition and contemporary refinement that defines the pavilion.
Upstairs, globe wall lights mark the entrance to the hospitality suite, where carefully controlled lighting reveals the rich textures of Liberty print wall panels. Flexibility is key—lighting levels are tuned to support a wide range of event formats, whether the space is used as one large room or subdivided into smaller, more intimate areas.
The bar provides a highly immersive experience, where the mirrored ceiling amplifies the effect of the backlit perforated facade screen, creating an atmospheric interplay of light and reflection. Targeted accent lighting highlights the bar front and bottle displays, while low table lanterns create warm, intimate focal points within the captivating mirrored patterns.
On the outdoor terrace above, lighting is kept to a low level to ensure that views out to the incredible Expo aren't obscured.