UAE Expo pavilion materials support Japan earthquake recovery community project

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UAE Expo pavilion materials are being repurposed to help build a community centre in earthquake-affected Wajima, Japan.

TOKYO: Materials from the United Arab Emirates Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka are being repurposed to support reconstruction efforts in Japan’s earthquake-affected Noto Peninsula region. The initiative will see date palm materials from the Pavilion reused in the construction of a new community centre in Wajima City.

The project reflects growing cooperation between the UAE and Japan while highlighting sustainable approaches to architecture and material innovation. Officials said salvaged palm fronds from the UAE Expo pavilion materials have been processed into strand boards that may be used in the building’s walls. Remaining Datecrete paving blocks from the Pavilion will also be used for outdoor paving applications within the development.

The UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka became widely recognised for its distinctive architectural design, including 90 towering palm rachis columns inspired by traditional Emirati resources. The reuse of these materials now extends the Pavilion’s environmental and cultural legacy beyond the Expo site into a practical community setting.

His Excellency Shihab Alfaheem, UAE Ambassador to Japan and Commissioner General of the UAE Pavilion, said the initiative demonstrates how design and innovation can continue serving communities beyond a single global event. He noted that the project also reflects the strong partnership between the UAE and Japan through collaborative humanitarian and development efforts.

The proposed community centre remains in the design phase and is intended to serve as a flexible gathering space for local residents recovering from the 2024 earthquake. Architects involved in the project said the use of UAE Expo pavilion materials supports a simple and adaptable design approach suited to local needs.

Expo 2025 Osaka welcomed more than five million combined visitors to the UAE Pavilion during the event. Construction of the Wajima community centre is expected to begin in the coming months as planning and material integration continue.

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