The UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka has been awarded the Silver Award at the DFA Design for Asia Awards, organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre.
The accolade recognises exceptional designs across Asia that demonstrate cultural richness, creativity, and social impact, highlighting the pavilion’s global architectural significance.
During the six-month Expo, the pavilion presented a cohesive vision that seamlessly combined architecture, craftsmanship, and storytelling.
Inspired by the UAE’s iconic date palm tree, the pavilion reinterprets areesh—traditional Emirati vernacular architecture—by integrating agricultural date palm waste with refined Japanese woodworking techniques.
Its standout feature is a forest of 90 rachis columns, reaching heights of up to 16 metres. Designed by the Earth to Ether Design Collective, an interdisciplinary team of Emirati and Japanese creatives, the pavilion exemplifies integrated global collaboration.
Shihab Al Faheem, UAE Ambassador to Japan and Commissioner General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, said the award reflects the creative collaboration behind the pavilion’s development. He noted that partners from the UAE, Japan and other countries worked together to create a culturally resonant space that promotes dialogue and shared values.
He added that the pavilion authentically expresses the UAE’s identity and its vision for a future based on openness and mutual progress.
He also highlighted that the pavilion attracted more than five million visitors during Expo 2025 Osaka, drawn by its multi-sensory experience and human-centered message.
(Inputs from WAM)
