Press Release
Tellart and RAU Architects Is Honored with the Platinum A' Design Award for The Netherlands Pavilion World Expo 2025 in Event and Happening Design
Tellart and RAU Architects honored for event and happening design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 16, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ The Netherlands Pavilion World Expo 2025 by Tellart and RAU Architects, designed for Netherlands Enterprise Agency and AND B.V., has been granted the Platinum A' Design Award in the Event and Happening Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The award was conferred within the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Platinum A' Design Award
The Platinum A' Design Award is recognized for honoring designs that stand at the forefront of creativity and innovation. It is the highest accolade bestowed by the A' Design Awards, acknowledging works that blend remarkable innovation with impactful societal contributions. These designs not only showcase exceptional artistic and technical proficiency but also highlight their creators' commitment to advancing the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Recipients of this award are celebrated for their role in shaping the aesthetics and trends of our time, contributing significantly to the enhancement of quality of life and promoting sustainable development.
About The Netherlands Pavilion World Expo 2025
The Netherlands Pavilion is an exhibition pavilion built for the World Expo 2025 in Osaka. The pavilion presents the historic shift of the Netherlands from resisting water to using water as an ally in clean energy, climate adaptation and sustainable living. Each visitor receives an Orb, a handheld sphere that guides the route and activates interactive installations, including a 360 degree dome film created with generative artificial intelligence. The structure is designed for disassembly, so all components can be reused after the exposition.
Award Record
With this recognition, Tellart and RAU Architects is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Event and Happening Design Award
The A' Event Design Award is an international event design competition recognizing good event designs by leading event designers and organizers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to event designers, corporate event planners, wedding planners and festival organizers from all countries. Entries typically include trade fairs, award ceremonies, festivals, conferences, exhibitions and concerts. Awarded event designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/event
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/174120
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/174120
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!174120
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/370135
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://nlexpo2025.nl/en/nl-pavilion
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- The Netherlands Pavilion World Expo 2025
- Function
- World Expo 2025
- Category
- Event and Happening Design
- Discipline
- Service Design
- Industry
- Branding & Advertising and Arts
- Colors
- Steel Blue, Light Slate Gray, Dark Slate Gray and Saddle Brown
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Netherlands Enterprise Agency and AND B.V.
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Tellart and RAU Architects
- Country
- Netherlands
- Recognition
- Platinum A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #174120
Credits
- Team
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO)
- Image Credits
- Copyrights and IP of the Guest Experience and Media belong to Tellart. Main; Photographer Zhu Yumeng, Optional; Photographer Tellart, Optional; Photographer Tellart. Video Credits: Tellart
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- The pavilion's uniqueness lies in its story-driven design. Every element from spatial layout to visitor interaction is crafted to immerse guests in a coherent narrative. Each visitor receives an Orb, a unique storytelling device that powers a range of interactive installations throughout the pavilion including The Main Show, the world’s first AI-generated 360° dome film. The architecture itself is also a part of the narrative and designed for disassembly, allowing all components to be reused after the exposition.
- Inspiration
- The Netherlands Pavilion is inspired by the nation’s historic shift from resisting water to embracing it as an ally in clean energy, climate adaptation, and sustainable living. This transformation forms the basis of a narrative that shows how innovation and collective action can shape a better future. At its heart is the concept of Common Ground, a mindset forged through centuries of Dutch water management. This spirit drives the design, seamlessly uniting both interior and exterior.
- Research
- A core focus of the design research for the Netherlands Pavilion was to explore Dutch water-related innovations. The goal was to identify cutting-edge technologies with global significance particularly for Japan. Through extensive research and expert collaboration, data was collected via meetings, workshops and reviews. Using interviews, documentation, and prototyping, the research revealed top innovators and shaped ways to clearly communicate complex technology to a broad audience at Expo 2025.
- Challenge
- The biggest challenge was translating complex technical innovations into clear, engaging narratives for a broad audience. Balancing accuracy with accessibility required careful consideration. Internally, selecting cases that aligned with the Pavilion’s narrative and supported Netherlands-Japan political and economic relations was demanding. Externally, legal constraints, production feasibility, and limited public awareness of emerging technologies posed significant obstacles.
- Realization and Technology
- Notable installations showcasing cutting-edge technology include the 360° dome film created entirely with generative AI. It explores the Netherlands’ deep connection to water, through conceptual visuals that would traditionally rely on CGI and VFX-intensive post-production. Designed with specific focal points to minimise motion sickness, the experience is enhanced by the Orbs, which synchronises via infrared to flash coordinated colours and patterns, adding a tactile layer to the immersion.
- Operation and Interaction
- The Netherlands Pavilion offers an immersive journey powered by storytelling using interactive technology. Each visitor begins experience by activating the Orb at the Check-In Mirror. As they move through space, the Orb guides and responds to their presence. At the Pledge Station, visitors step into a circle to co-create a generative artwork of synchronised light and sound. This collective moment transforms the pavilion’s message into a shared, memorable call to action.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in May 2023 in the Netherlands and completed in April 2025 in Osaka, and has been exhibited at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka from April 13th to October 13th.
- Specifications
- Length 40m x Width 15.5m x Height 9.3 m (together with sphere 13.8m). Area:1.157m2.
- Keywords
- Immersive Experience, Interactive Installations, Common Ground, Netherlands Pavilion, Circular Building, Multisensory Storytelling, Experience Design, World Expo 2025
