UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka wins top global design award

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka has won Gold at the iF Design Award 2026 in the Interior Architecture – Trade Fairs / Temporary Exhibitions category, joining a select group of globally recognised design projects.

The pavilion was chosen from more than 11,000 entries worldwide, with only a small number receiving the Gold distinction. The award is widely regarded as one of the most respected benchmarks in global design.

A journey from Earth to Ether

Designed under the theme Earth to Ether, the pavilion presented progress as a continuous human journey. It connected heritage, community and knowledge with science and future ambition.

Visitors were taken through a carefully designed experience where architecture, landscape and storytelling came together. The space guided guests through shifting light, materials and immersive environments that reflected the UAE’s past and future.

Design rooted in heritage and craft

At the heart of the pavilion stood 90 palm rachis columns rising up to 16 metres, forming a shaded canopy and creating a calm gathering space within the busy Expo site.

Traditional materials were reinterpreted using modern construction methods, developed in collaboration with Japanese craftsmanship. The design highlighted a shared respect for detail, culture and precision.

Rather than separating tradition and innovation, the pavilion treated them as part of a continuous story, where cultural memory supports future thinking.

Leadership and collaboration

Shihab Alfaheem, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UAE to Japan and Commissioner General of the UAE Pavilion, said the recognition reflects strong collaboration across disciplines and countries.

He said the pavilion was designed to bring architecture, materials and visitor experience together in a meaningful way.

Alfaheem added that more than five million visitors experienced the pavilion during Expo 2025 Osaka, describing it as a journey through the UAE’s history, people and ambitions.

Among the most visited pavilions

During the Expo, the UAE Pavilion recorded over five million visitors, making it the most visited national pavilion at the event.

Guests moved from shaded outdoor spaces into immersive storytelling areas that showcased the UAE’s development, ideas and future goals through a multi-sensory experience.

Part of wider international recognition

The iF Design Award, established in 1954 and presented annually in Germany, is one of the world’s longest-running design honours, recognising excellence in concept, creativity and execution.

The UAE Pavilion has also received several other global awards. It was ranked among the top three national pavilions for architecture and landscape by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), and won recognition for sustainability, staff experience and large pavilion design at the World Expolympics.

It has also been honoured at the DFA Design for Asia Awards and the German Design Award, adding to its growing list of international achievements.