Abu Dhabi/Osaka (JAPAN)- The UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka has been awarded the Silver Award at the DFA Design for Asia Awards 2025. Organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre, the programme celebrates outstanding design across Asia, honouring projects that carry cultural meaning, creative intent and a clear contribution to society. The recognition reflects the international esteem the Pavilion’s architectural vision continues to command.
Designed by the Earth to Ether Design Collective, the UAE Pavilion brought architecture, craft and narrative together with purpose throughout its six-month presence at Expo. Inspired by the date palm tree, the Pavilion’s ninety rachis columns rose up to sixteen metres, creating a shaded canopy that reflected the calm and welcome of an oasis. This spatial language gave form to the Pavilion’s theme, Earth to Ether, expressing the UAE’s journey from deep-rooted heritage to the future-focused innovations that shape collective progress.
The Pavilion’s design brought Emirati vernacular architecture into dialogue with Japanese craftsmanship. Traditional areesh techniques were reinterpreted through precise Japanese woodworking, creating a language of form that felt both familiar and new. This collaboration extended to the Pavilion’s outdoor elements, where trees from Japan’s Satoyama landscapes met the textures and tones of the UAE’s environment. UAE material innovation further shaped the Pavilion, with Datecrete and Dateform developed from date seeds and palm frond waste, reinforcing a design philosophy grounded in renewal, responsibility, and the beauty of reimagined resources.
His Excellency Shihab Alfaheem, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to Japan and Commissioner General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, said: “This award recognises the intention and collaboration that shaped the UAE Pavilion. Earth to Ether was brought to life by a collective of partners from the UAE, Japan and around the world who believed in creating a space that carries meaning and enhances cross-cultural exchange. Their craftsmanship and creativity allowed architecture to become a form of connection. The recognition is a tribute to that shared effort and to a design story that reflects the values of our nation. It is also a testament to the five million visitors who chose the Pavillion as their favourite destination at Expo 2025.”
The DFA Design for Asia Awards, according to its organisers, reviewed entries from more than twenty economies, with judging based on creativity, cultural insight, sustainability, human-centred design and regional impact. The recognition for the UAE Pavilion highlights its distinctive architectural expression and its role in strengthening cross-cultural exchange through design.
This latest achievement adds to the Pavilion’s growing list of global accolades. Earlier this year, the UAE Pavilion was recognised as one of top three national pavilions at Expo 2025, Osaka, by the BIE for Architecture and Landscape, the World Expo Award for Best Staff and an Honourable Mention for Best Sustainable Design. It also earned the World Expolympics Bronze for Best Large Pavilion. Together, these awards affirm the Pavilion’s ability to set benchmarks across design, experience and storytelling.
During its six months at Expo 2025 Osaka, the UAE Pavilion became one of the event’s most popular destinations. A combined total of over five million visitors experienced its multi-sensory journey that wove together our people, and our future ambitions, from its shaded central spaces to storytelling that flowed from Earth to Ether. The Pavilion was recognised by visitors for its warmth and hospitality, its message of shared futures, and its ability to bring the UAE’s values to life through purposeful design and human-centred experiences.
