ON, an international provider of audiovisual solutions with operational hubs in Brazil and Portugal, delivered a full AV integration at the 1,836 m² Portugal Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, which takes place for six months from 13 April to 13 October 2025. In addition to handling the integration, ON is overseeing daily operation of the cultural and technological space, designed by internationally acclaimed architect Kengo Kuma, and exploring the theme The Ocean: The Blue Dialogue through immersive storytelling, interactive installations, and large-scale projections.
ON was contracted by Rimond SRL, the general contractor for the project, to deliver the complete AVL (AV and lighting) infrastructure for the Portugal Pavilion, covering everything from equipment acquisition and system design to installation, integration, and daily operation. ON’s scope includes projection systems (walls, floors, interactive surfaces, and a custom-built ‘Minidome’), architectural and scenic lighting, multichannel sound systems, LED installations, touchscreen displays, and centralised control automation.
As the Pavilion is entirely driven by AV content, the seamless integration and reliability of these systems were critical. A team of eight professionals from ON worked on-site in Osaka, collaborating closely with local Japanese teams and Portuguese partners to meet tight deadlines and navigate challenges. The conceptual development and exhibition design were led by MUSE Museums & Expos, a company specialised in curating museum and cultural projects.
The Pavilion combines open-air architecture with a carefully orchestrated interior flow, where AV tech acts as an invisible guide, shaping atmosphere, rhythm, interaction, and emotional impact at every step, creating a visitor journey as a seamless traversal of history, culture, sustainability, and maritime exploration.
Inside the Pavilion, the experience begins in the Waiting Area, where a multichannel soundscape envelops visitors in the sonic atmosphere of ocean waves and winds, created by composer Diogo Alvim. This ambient audio, delivered through discreet weatherproof loudspeakers, marks the first act of a journey where AVL becomes storytelling. The next space, known as Room 1, is a darkened environment organised around five thematic islands, each offering a different layer of interpretation through light, projection, image, and sound.
A highlight is the Minidome installation, featuring a hemispherical projection surface animated with navigational maps and animated cartography. To achieve this, ON commissioned a custom fisheye lens manufactured with a bespoke optical solution that allows a single Epson EB-L730U projector to cover the entire dome with uniform image quality and no visible distortion. The lens ensures image fidelity from every angle and eliminates the need for complex multi-projector setups. The result is a continuous, realistic visual experience that reinforces Portugal’s maritime legacy through innovative AV engineering.
Other islands include interactive 86in multi-touchscreen displays (Sharp PN-LA862) with content on marine biodiversity and technology; embedded Iiyama monitors designed to mimic Japanese byōbu screens; and an audio-light installation that explores linguistic parallels between Portuguese and Japanese using LED-synced words and directional sound. The system also incorporates Brightsign XD4 players to drive synchronised video playback.
Five Optoma ZK708T 4K DLP laser projectors provide ambient environmental visuals throughout Room 1. All of Room 1 is tied together by a LED ribbon integrated within the islands and a surround audio system built with Audac loudspeakers and Prolights fixtures, creating a cohesive audiovisual envelope. The technical rack includes GrandMA3 lighting controllers and Watchout 6 media servers, forming the backbone of the control system.
The journey continues into Room 2, the Pavilion’s immersive climax. Here, sixteen Barco G62-W9 laser projectors, combined with a Watchout 3D-modelled content engine, create a fully enveloping animated underwater landscape across curved walls and floor. This room, with surround sound and kinetic lighting, invites the visitor to sit on the ground and absorb a sensory narrative about sustainability and the future. It is a contemplative, emotionally resonant experience that many visitors repeat. AVL here acts as both guide and narrator, seamlessly integrating visual, auditory, and spatial cues.
Beyond the exhibition, ON also equipped the restaurant, terrace, shop, and multipurpose room, providing ambient audio and versatile AV setups for concerts, film screenings, diplomatic receptions, and cultural events. The Multipurpose Room includes dual Barco projectors, Shure microphone systems, live streaming equipment, simultaneous interpretation infrastructure, Panasonic PTZ cameras, and Bose L1 Pro 16 sound systems, as well as Roland V-60 and Behringer X32 mixers, and laptops running Resolume and Vmix software for video control and real-time projection.
All AVequipment was acquired brand-new in Portugal specifically for the Expo and shipped to Japan in more than twenty pallets, totalling around 4 tons. The entire system was customised and built to meet both Portuguese and Japanese technical standards.
Sustainability was a guiding principle throughout the AV system design. All lighting systems use high-efficiency LED technology, and projection relies on laser-based systems that consume significantly less energy than traditional lamps. Equipment such as Audac amplifiers and Epson and Barco projectors were selected for energy efficiency and long lifecycle, reducing waste and power demand. Modular mounts and racks were chosen for future reuse, and Japanese recycling protocols were followed for packaging and installation waste.
Throughout the project, ON had to respond to challenges well beyond AVL: adapting mounting structures, modifying scenography, handling equipment delays, and communicating across three languages and cultures. Their team remained on-site for final commissioning and continues to operate and maintain all systems daily.
“This project was not only a technical challenge, but also a defining moment for us as a company,” said Hugo Rodrigues, CEO of ON. “It validated our ability to deliver highly customised, complex AV solutions in an international environment, working hand in hand with foreign teams under demanding operational and cultural standards. We’re proud not only of what we delivered, but of how we earned trust, solved problems, and became a trusted part of a multicultural team delivering an ambitious and impactful experience.”
Since opening, the Portugal Pavilion has been visited by more than 500,000 people, drawing praise for its immersive design and unique sensory narrative. The success of the Pavilion has already led to ON being entrusted with additional live support duties and invited to collaborate on other future international efforts.
