OSAKA HEALTHCARE PAVILION – “THE TOILET OF THE FUTURE” AT EXPO 2025

At the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 World Expo, the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion is jointly organized by Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City, in collaboration with academic institutions, businesses, and local governments. Under the theme “REBORN”, the pavilion offers a vision of urban life and healthcare in 2050 through two lenses: Life and Health.

“Minna Toilet” – A Toilet for Everyone

Far from being merely a supporting facility, the toilet area at the pavilion is planned as part of the exhibition space. With the goal of creating “a toilet of the future where everyone can use it easily,” a team promoting Universal Design (UD) was formed to thoroughly research and test a friendly, inclusive, and barrier-free toilet.

Unique Architecture – The Embodiment of a Vibrant Osaka

The building stands out with its transparent membrane dome design, where water flows gently from the roof into the pool below like a waterfall. The structure also incorporates a sustainable water circulation system. Inside, a central skylight creates a focal point, surrounded by softly stacked elliptical display areas that reflect Osaka’s diversity and dynamism.

Toilet Area – Showcasing Design for the Future

The toilet area in the pavilion is designed as an integral part of the overall architecture. Highlights include:

• Digital signage displays the real-time availability of each toilet stall.

• Pictograms are optimized in size and height for easy visibility.

• The ceiling and benches are made from recycled paper tubes sourced from paper diapers and reeds along the Yodo River, making them sustainable and environmentally friendly.

• The lighting system is cleverly integrated inside the paper tubes.

Building “Minna Toilet” Together

“Minna Toilet” – a toilet for everyone – is the result of extensive collaboration among many parties:

• Direct users: people with disabilities (physical, sensory, and intellectual), caregivers, the LGBTQ+ community, parents with children requiring medical assistance…

• Universal Design experts

• Representatives of the Osaka government, architects, and contractors

• Sanitary equipment manufacturers such as TOTO

The design process took place at the TOTO Osaka Technical Center, where all participants took part in practical testing on a 1:1 scale drawing to check movement flow, waiting areas, and equipment usage.

At the entrance to the toilet area, design concept boards and specific usage scenarios are presented in an easy-to-understand manner. Assistive technologies such as tactile maps, voice guidance, and the NaviLens navigation app are integrated, helping visually impaired people and seniors access this space easily and independently.

The Osaka Healthcare Pavilion not only conveys a message of a healthy and sustainable future but also embodies an inclusive spirit that respects differences. “Minna Toilet” is a model for the toilet of the future – a place where everyone is welcome, regardless of their physical condition, age, or gender.