Words By Allegra Salvadori

At Expo 2025 Osaka–Kansai, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority brought the UAE’s architectural ethos to the world stage through ‘Pillars of Arish: Architecture in Transition’—a symposium exploring sustainability, heritage, and forward-thinking design. Held under the UAE Pavilion’s theme ‘From Earth to Ether’, the event underscored how traditional practices like arish (palm fronds) can inspire context-sensitive architectural solutions today.

Curated by Salem AlSuwaidi (SWALIF Collective, MamarLab) and Rashed AlMulla (MABNAI, MamarLab), the symposium gathered leading voices to reflect on regional identity, urban transformation, and cross-cultural influences. Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, affirmed the initiative as a platform to “elevate Emirati identity and empower the next generation of creatives.”

Khulood Khoory, Director of Projects and Events, spotlighted the Dubai Cultural Grant Programme’s long-term impact—over AED180 million will be distributed in 10 years to support fields from visual arts to museology.

Beyond the symposium, 12 UAE-based professionals were invited on a cultural tour of Japan’s architectural landmarks—including works by Tadao Ando—creating meaningful bridges between Japanese and Emirati design philosophies. The delegation included: Ahmad Bukhash, Fatima AlSuwaidi, Ahmed Al Ali, Fatima AlZaabi, Abdalla AlMulla, Lina Ahmed, Laith AlSheyadi, Reem Al Qamzi, Rakan Lootah, Noora AlAwar, Hamad AlMutawa, and Mohammad AlShafiei.

Also representing Dubai Culture were Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, Sara Al Pachachi, and Maryam Mudhaffar Ahli.As architect Fatima AlSuwaidi reflected, “It wasn’t just an architectural exchange—it was a cultural awakening.”