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UAE pavilion's palm fronds to help build centre in earthquake-hit Japan city
They will be transformed into engineered strand boards, which are being considered for use in the new facility's walls
- PUBLISHED: Mon 11 May 2026, 1:46 PM UPDATED: Mon 11 May 2026, 1:59 PM
Materials originally showcased at the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka are set to find a new purpose in Japan’s disaster recovery efforts, as palm fronds and innovative date-based materials are repurposed for a community center in Wajima City on the Noto Peninsula.
The initiative will see carefully salvaged date palm fronds from the pavilion transformed into engineered strand boards, which are being considered for use in the new facility's walls. In addition, “Datecrete” paving blocks, developed in the UAE from crushed date seeds and reclaimed palm fronds, will be reused in the project’s outdoor spaces.
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The materials were a defining feature of the UAE Pavilion’s architecture at Expo 2025 Osaka, where 90 palm rachis columns formed part of the structure, symbolising a reimagining of traditional Emirati resources through design and engineering innovation.
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Officials said the reuse of these materials extends the pavilion's legacy beyond the Expo site into community-focused applications. Earlier this year, elements of the pavilion’s pergola were also installed in Tottori Prefecture, where it now serves as a public gathering space.
Shihab Alfaheem, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the UAE to Japan and Commissioner General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, said the initiative reflects a continued effort to give the pavilion’s materials “purpose beyond the Expo.”
“This initiative extends the life of the Pavilion in a way that is both purposeful and grounded in real-world application. It reflects an approach in which design and material innovation are not confined to a single moment but continue to find purpose in new contexts,” he said.
He added that the project also highlights the strength of UAE–Japan relations, noting that it builds on earlier collaborations between the UAE Embassy in Japan and Shigeru Ban Architects, which previously delivered two housing units for families affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake.
The Wajima community centre is currently in the design phase and is expected to serve as a shared space for residents. The use of UAE-developed materials is being explored as part of a functional and locally responsive design approach.
Yasunori Harano, Director at Shigeru Ban Architects, said the project explores how materials can be reintroduced in new contexts.
“The date palm-based boards offer a way to connect the UAE Pavilion’s material research with a structure that serves a clear community purpose. The focus is on creating a space that is simple, adaptable, and relevant to its surroundings,” he said.
During Expo 2025 Osaka, the UAE Pavilion welcomed more than five million visitors, making it the most visited national pavilion at the event. Under the theme Earth to Ether, it showcased the UAE’s narrative of heritage, innovation, and human ambition through material experimentation and cultural storytelling.
Arwa Almazrouei is an Arabic editor passionate about storytelling and journalism, and creating impactful content that highlights culture, society, and the inspirational.