The 50-square-metre pavilion will feature a heating and cooling pipe system that allows visitors to experience real-time temperatures from around 50 locations in Croatia.
"Climate diversity is crucial for the health of our planet and its inhabitants," reads a message displayed on one of several screens showing real-time meteorological data from Croatia, directly linked to the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service.
The core theme of the project is the "pronounced impact of climate change, which affects both daily life and complex geopolitical processes," according to the explanation provided for its selection as Croatia's official exhibit at EXPO 2025, scheduled to take place in Japan's third-largest city from 13 April to 13 October.
This will be an excellent platform for connecting people from around the world, and I am grateful that Croatia will take part in this major event. I hope the exhibition will further strengthen the friendship between our two nations, Japanese Ambassador Mitsuhiro Wada told Hina at the offices of Enison, the project's contractor.
The Croatian pavilion consists of 15 kilometres of pipes and 13,000 joints and clamps, with a total of 47 tonnes of materials set to be shipped to Japan, said Pero Vuković from the architectural studio ARHIV, a member of the creative team behind the pavilion.
The first live heat transmission ever
Zvonimir Frka Petešić, the prime minister's chief of staff and a member of the jury that selected the project, said its "originality surpassed all other candidates."
"This is the first time in world history that heat will be transmitted live, something that has never been done before," Frka Petešić stated.
He referenced the 1889 World Expo in Paris, which marked the centenary of the French Revolution, where Croatian innovator Josip Belušić presented his speedometer, an invention that has since become a standard feature in every vehicle.
"I hope this innovation in temperature transmission, from one part of the world to another, will, in a few years or decades, lead to applications and uses we can scarcely imagine today," he concluded.
Zdenko Lucić, state secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and national commissioner for EXPO 2025, said that after the presentation, the pavilion would be disassembled, with the first components set to arrive in Japan as early as Tuesday.
The World Expo is expected to attract more than 28 million visitors, ensuring that Croatia is prominently showcased as a country of cutting-edge innovation and expertise, he emphasised.
The pavilion's design team includes Pero Vuković, Korina Vuković, Antonio Patljak, Maroje Mrduljaš and Lana Grahek, along with associates Petra Bigor, Yujin Jeong and Filip Majcenić.
EXPO 2025 will be held on Yumeshima, an artificial island built from recycled waste specifically for the event.