At Expo 2025 in Osaka, running through October 13, Cartier’s Women’s Pavilion stands as a beacon for gender equality, building on its groundbreaking debut at Expo 2020 Dubai. Designed by Japanese architect Yuko Nagayama and curated by British artist Es Devlin, the pavilion merges sustainability with storytelling to highlight women’s vital role in shaping a fairer future, aligning with the expo’s theme, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.”

A Legacy of Empowerment

Located next to the Japan Pavilion, the Women’s Pavilion, a collaboration with the Japanese government and the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, embodies the manifesto: “When women thrive, humanity thrives.” This second iteration, backed by Cartier’s long-standing commitment to gender equality through initiatives like the Cartier Women’s Initiative and partnerships with UN Women, aims to spark global dialogue on Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.

The pavilion features immersive narratives from three women—Japanese author Banana Yoshimoto, Sudanese poet Emi Mahmoud, and Mexican climate activist Xiye Bastida—whose stories of resilience and activism, curated by Devlin, invite visitors to reflect on personal and collective action.

“These women transform pain into agency,” Devlin said, describing the pavilion as a “Stradivarius” for women’s voices.

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Sustainable Design Innovation

Yuko Nagayama’s design reuses 98% of the Kumiko-inspired façade from the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, marking a historic first for Expo material repurposing. The façade, reconfigured with 6,000 tubes and 2,000 nodes, was dismantled in Dubai, shipped to Osaka, and reassembled using Arup’s custom software to fit a narrow 110m x 18m site. Low-carbon materials like Clean-Crete and electric furnace steel cut CO2 emissions by up to 60%, while local trees, to be replanted post-expo, enhance the regenerative design.

Inspired by Kyoto machiya townhouses, the pavilion blends interior and exterior spaces, with Toshiya Ogino’s seasonal garden and Chitose Abe’s gender-inclusive uniforms for attendants adding cultural depth.

A Platform for Dialogue

The pavilion’s “WA Space” hosts 180 sessions on topics like climate action, business, and arts, fostering collaboration among activists and thought leaders. On May 22, 2025, Cartier will hold its 2025 Impact Awards here, honoring female entrepreneurs from the Cartier Women’s Initiative, such as Mariam Torosyan of Safe YOU, tackling gender-based violence, and Tracy O’Rourke of Vivid Edge, advancing energy efficiency.

Contributions from artists like Naomi Kawase, Mélanie Laurent, and Mariko Mori, plus a UN Women data room highlighting stark realities—gender parity in parliaments not until 2063—ground the experience in urgency.

Why It Matters?

Gender inequality remains a global challenge, with Japan facing “invisible constraints,” as Yoshimoto noted. The pavilion’s focus on women’s contributions, from climate justice to entrepreneurship, resonates with 83% of consumers demanding corporate social responsibility, per a 2024 PwC survey.

Looking Ahead

Open until October 13, 2025, on Yumeshima Island, the pavilion invites visitors to engage via the Expo’s official ticketing site. As James Chau, WHO goodwill ambassador, said, “Global events like expos are vital for dialogue amid division.” With its sustainable design and powerful narratives, Cartier’s Women’s Pavilion is not just an exhibit—it’s a call to build a more equitable, sustainable world.

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