Fusing Innovation and Sustainability: NTT at Expo 2025 (original) (raw)

The World Expo, a global exhibition dating back to 1851, began with London's Great Exhibition, which showcased the highest level of industrial innovation. Since then, the Expo has evolved into a platform for nations to share achievements and cultures. Currently held every five years, the Expo has introduced groundbreaking inventions and architectural innovations, along the way promoting international dialogue and collaboration. It has become a symbol of human ingenuity and a shining light for global unity and progress.

Expo 2025 is scheduled to be held between 13 April and 13 October in Osaka, Kansai, Japan, with its theme "Designing Future Society for Our Lives." Focused on sustainability, health, and modern technology, next year’s event aims to foster global solutions for societal challenges, encouraging innovation and international cooperation in imagining a harmonious future for humanity and the planet.

NTT is set to play a major part at Expo 2025.

The company’s Pavilion at the Expo will showcase the convergence of technology, architecture, and environmental sustainability. The Pavilion, scheduled for completion by December this year, carries the theme of ‘Natural’ and represents a bold vision for the future, incorporating NTT's advanced R&D, with a special focus on the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN). The next-generation infrastructure that IOWN represents, featuring high capacity, low latency, and energy efficiency, has the potential to revolutionize communication.

At the heart of the 'Natural' concept is the integration of dynamic "cloth," an architectural construct that fuses emotion, nature, and technology. This fabric-like structure will react and morph in response to a range of stimuli, from the emotions and behaviors of visitors, both real and virtual, to the subtle influences of nature, such as wind, light, and the changing seasons. Through this interactive covering, the Pavilion aims to provide a living representation of nature's cycles, leaving a lasting impression on all who visit.

The Pavilion's design philosophy, "Architecture with Emotion," aims to extend the experience beyond physical structures, making it real even outside its walls. This approach aligns with NTT's ambition to design future societies that enrich human life, a vision that has been central to the company's century-long history of connecting people and enabling the expression of emotions through technology.

A commitment to sustainability is a major part of the Pavilion's design, reflecting NTT's Green Vision Toward 2040. By replacing conventional materials with carbon wires, the pavilion not only reduces the reliance on steel, but also significantly cuts down on CO2 emissions, presenting an eco-friendly and human-centric model. This "Circulating Pavilion" embodies a self-sustaining ecosystem, marking NTT's dedication to environmental protection and its vision for a harmonious future where technology supports the infinite evolution of humanity.

NTT has a long history of demonstrating its technological innovation at the World Expo. At Expo 1970, also held in Osaka, the company’s presentations included groundbreaking communication technologies like the video-telephone and the precursor to the mobile phone. Simply put, offering glimpses into the future is part of NTT’s DNA.

Next year will be no exception. Both the NTT Pavilion and the Panasonic Group Pavilion will showcase a Hydrogen Supply Chain to promote renewable energy use and carbon neutrality. Hydrogen, a clean energy source without carbon emissions, requires a supply chain for production, storage, transportation, and usage to ensure stability and accessibility. NTT Anode Energy and Panasonic are making it possible, and their joint project includes creating green hydrogen from renewable sources and demonstrating its use in fuel cells to generate electricity, illustrating a sustainable energy future.

Meanwhile, the Expo 2025 venue will be digitally transformed into a virtual space using 3D graphics, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) under the concept "Floating Yumeshima." NTT will play a major part of the virtual venue, leveraging the power of NTT QONOQ, a division of NTT DOCOMO, to take advantage of its experience in virtual technologies, focusing on Extended Reality. Expo 2025 will be accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities, the elderly, and international audiences who cannot attend physically, and will offer unique experiences akin to being at the actual venue.

That’s not all. Expo 2025 will introduce a "Personal Agent" service, transforming the venue into a stress-free, smart city-like experience. The service is designed to make a better experience for visitors by providing personalized guidance based on individual preferences, current venue conditions, and personal circumstances. It will assist in navigating through exhibits and recommend activities, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable visit. This aligns perfectly with NTT's vision of creating future cities, leveraging the Group’s expertise in urban development and Digital Twin Computing through NTT Urban Solutions.

With its Pavilion and the theme of 'Natural,' NTT is once again at the forefront, ready to share new possibilities in communication and spatial experience with the world at Expo 2025, promising a future where physical distances are bridged, and emotional connections are deepened, within a framework of sustainable and emotive architecture.

See you there!