2024 — 2025

Portugal Pavilion, Osaka — A blue dialogue between Portugal and Japan

Scope

Exhibition, Interiors

Client

MUSE

P 06 was an integral part of the winning team in the international competition for the Portugal Pavilion at Osaka, serving as the creative director for museography and interior design.

The challenge consisted in creating an exhibition and spatial narrative that presented Portugal as a country with a strong maritime identity, a commitment to sustainability, and a historical and cultural dialogue with Japan — all while meeting strict requirements for circular economy, reduced environmental footprint, and technical innovation. The goal was for visitors from diverse cultures to be immersed in the theme “Ocean: Blue Dialogue”, gaining an understanding of both Portugal’s maritime past and its visions for a sustainable future.

The strategy followed three main vectors: sensory immersion, interactivity, and sustainability. The exhibition is divided into two main sections — “Sharing Knowledge” and “Partnership for a Sustainable Future” — combining immersive multimedia experiences, interactive art, cultural storytelling, and technological innovations related to the ocean.

In the first section, “Sharing Knowledge”, P06 proposes a sensory journey where the space comes to life through a parallel between two territories — the Land of the Rising Sun and the Land of the Setting Sun. The floor, marked by lines that evoke contour curves, gives rise to five content islands, each serving as a meeting point between knowledge and experiences.

Crossing through the space, a floating, undulating, and luminous ribbon emerges, unifying the entire environment. With its graphic texture of lines and curves, this ribbon becomes a central connecting element, projecting videos that emanate directly from the islands — reinforcing the sense of sharing and dialogue between the two countries.

The transition to the second section is marked by a moment of discovery: visitors walk through a corridor made of ropes — a sensory prelude that leads them into the immersive room.

In the second section, P06 creates a boundless space. The floor merges with the walls, forming a continuous, infinite environment where multimedia content flows freely, surrounding the visitor in an immersive and transformative atmosphere.

To enhance the experience, the ceiling is adorned with mirrors of organic and irregular shapes, multiplying the space, the content, and even the visitors themselves. The result is a sense of expansion, where the real and the digital intertwine, elevating the multimedia experience to a new dimension.

The final exhibition space conveys Portugal’s identity through its connection to the ocean, history, culture, and innovation, offering interactive experiences that raise visitors’ environmental and cultural awareness. Meeting its objectives, it positions Portugal as a key player in the blue economy, sustainability, and international cooperation, while creating an impact by inspiring reflection and thought.

The international visibility achieved in Osaka — where the Pavilion won three awards (Gold for Best Thematic Concept, Bronze for Best Exterior Architecture, and Bronze for Best Presentation) — reinforces Portugal’s position as a reference in sustainable design, global dialogue, and cultural relations with Japan.

Creative Direction

Pedro Anjos

Design

Jacinta Fialho

Photo

Fernando Guerra, FG+SG

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