Croatian Pavilion at EXPO 2025 Osaka

National Commissioner of the Republic of Croatia for the World Exhibition EXPO 2025 Osaka, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs

Zdenko Lucić

National Committee of the Republic of Croatia for the World Expo 2025 Osaka

Zvonimir Frka-Petešić Danijela Stepić Nevena Tudor Perković Iva Ivanković Josip Bilaver Goran Romek Kristina Bilić Dunja Magaš Marina Šimun Dragan Kovačević Irena Alajbeg Tomislav Pokaz Hana Zoričić Staša Skenžić Josipa Božinović Bojan Batinić Ivan Bota Jadranka Šegota Višnja Letica Ingrid Gojević Silva Stipić Kobali Mihaela Vasilj Kasabašić

Authors

Lana Grahek Maroje Mrduljaš Antonio Patljak Pero Vuković Korina Vuković

Architectural Design

ARHIV Architecture & Urbanism Ltd.
Pero Vuković Antonio Patljak Petra Bigor Yujin Jeong + Maroje Mrduljaš Korina Vuković

Graphic Design

Lana Grahek

Content Design

Lana Grahek Anja Grgić Silvia Marinčić Maroje Mrduljaš Antonio Patljak Pero Vuković Zvonimir Rakijašić

Multimedia & Web design

Bien design Ltd.
Silvia Marinčić Mihael Miklošić Anja Grgić Luka Perić

Multimedia & Web development

Novena Ltd.
Ana Salkić Ervin Šilić Goran Marošević Klara Đurić Mihael Pozaić Pero Klepić Zvonimir Rakijašić

General Contractor

Enison Ltd.
Srećko Raič Sandro Andrijević Ivan Majstorović Marko Bjegović Ante Buljan Sanja Čunčić Davor Pozaić Krešimir Leskovar Janko Jakša Nikola Zajec Željko Kahlina Marko Meničanin Karlo Librić Anthony Luzung Mario Stažić Ante Tadić Vjekoslav Drempetić Ivan Buđinski Tomislav Smirić Mario Galac Antonio Požar Mihael Matić Ivan Varivoda Ivan Bulf Matej Gabelica Zoran Radman Pavo Bagarić Nenad Jukić Luka Rimac Ivan Stanojević Goran Obranović Radmilo Rula Luka Herceg Luka Nimac Daniel Solgat Filip Kešina Dario Kolarević Tomislav Šubić Dario Degiacinto Brankica Mlinarić Silvana Raič Berislav Brebrić Karlo Radeljić Filip Jurić Marjan Pehar Borna Tišljar Pavle Batinović

Video Content Provided By

Croatian National Tourist Board

Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs

Marko Golemac Maša Matković Nadalina Katovčić Vlašić

Climadiversity

The Croatian pavilion endorses the diversity of climates that, over the long term, have shaped ecosystems and human cultures, defining our identities. We call this phenomenon Climadiversity.

The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly pronounced, and discussions about the future of the planet take place everywhere—from casual conversations to geopolitical decision-making. Many of these discussions remain abstract or difficult to envision clearly. News reports highlight dramatic changes, such as unprecedented glacier melting or the disappearance of non-human species we’ve never encountered in daily life.

Croatia rightfully presents itself as a country of diversity—social, natural, and geographical. Within a relatively small territory, this richness is amplified by its varied climates. By recreating real-time temperatures sampled from 45 meteorological stations, the Croatian pavilion offers an immersive and dynamic sensory experience of the country’s climatic regions. Continuously changing throughout the day and across seasons, the pavilion is never the same—inviting visitors to reflect on the profound impact of Climadiversity on individuals and communities alike. As a compelling fragment of the planetary environment, Croatia embodies the complexity of our interconnected global climate system—one that demands attention and care.

Experiencing the Pavillion

Unlike the generic, optimized climate typical of contemporary interiors, visitors to the Croatian pavilion encounter significant sensory variations. Within this compact space, Climadiversity is communicated through immersive physical experience. Gradients of air temperature and corresponding ambient colors guide an exploratory process: visitors are not passive observers but active participants, selecting their own climate place based on personal metabolism, habits, and mood. This may even lead to mutual recognition among visitors as they discover shared climatic affinities.

Each of the pavilion’s main climate zones is recorded by thermal imaging cameras (TICs), capturing interactions between visitors and their environments. These videos are displayed inside the pavilion, on the large entry screen at the Croatian pavilion stand, and as photo feeds on the pavilion’s website and social media. The same platforms deliver concise messages emphasizing the importance of Climadiversity. Additionally, videos on the pavilion’s website and entrance screens link these messages to specific locations in Croatia. TIC images, juxtaposed with slogans about Climadiversity, can be shared on social media, extending the pavilion’s global reach. This establishes a continuous flow of Climadiversity between Croatia’s landscapes, the pavilion’s social environment, and the digital domain. The pavilion encourages visitors to reflect on the richness of climates, humanity’s impact on them, and the societal and political actions required for their preservation.

The pavilion raises pragmatic questions: Are we aware of climate’s influence on our physical and psychological experiences? Can we connect these experiences with concrete personal and societal values? What does humanity lose with diminishing Climadiversity? Do we want to preserve Climadiversity, the driving force behind all other diversities and a critical factor shaping human and non-human life?

Pavillion architecture

The architecture of the Croatian pavilion dissolves boundaries between concept, space, and environment.

The pavilion’s non-hierarchical, isotropic space is structured with standard tubes typically used for floor and wall heating. A fluid space for human movement is carved into this solid volume of tubes. Heating and cooling systems intertwine, with their arrangement reflecting temperature variations across different climate zones. The colors of the agents flowing through the tubes indicate whether they belong to the heating or cooling system, visually representing warmer and cooler regions. These loops are interconnected to maximize energy efficiency. The pavilion’s enclosure is thermally insulated, and condensed moisture is collected beneath floor grates.
The pavilion is modular and entirely produced in Croatia. Its components can be easily assembled and disassembled, with dimensions designed to fit standard shipping containers. This ensures that the pavilion can be relocated and reinstalled in various locations.

The very elements that define the space also regulate its interior climate. Space, temperature, digital displays, and online platforms all work together to convey the project’s message. These features are integrated and mutually reinforcing. The medium is the message.