Osaka: 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 award is a recognition of outstanding designs across Asia, highlighting the pavilion's global architectural standing through its cultural depth, creativity, and social impact.
According to Emirates News Agency, over the six-month duration of the Expo, the pavilion showcased an integrated vision that combined architecture, craftsmanship, and storytelling. Drawing inspiration from the UAE's iconic date palm tree, the pavilion reinterpreted areesh, traditional Emirati vernacular architecture, by integrating agricultural date palm waste with expert Japanese woodworking techniques.
One of the pavilion's most notable features is its striking forest of 90 rachis columns, which soar up to 16 metres. Created by the Earth to Ether Design Collective, an interdisciplinary network of Emirati and Japanese creatives, the pavilion stands as a testament to integrated, global collaboration.
Shihab Al Faheem, UAE Ambassador to Japan and Commissioner General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, remarked that the award reflects the creative collaboration behind the pavilion's development. He emphasized that partners from the UAE, Japan, and other countries worked together to create a culturally resonant space that promotes dialogue and shared values. Al Faheem also noted that the pavilion authentically expresses the UAE's identity and its vision for a future based on openness and mutual progress.
Furthermore, Al Faheem highlighted that more than five million visitors chose the pavilion as one of their preferred destinations at Expo 2025 Osaka, drawn by its multi-sensory experience and human-focused message.