A WINNING PROJECT OF THE BILARAB BIN HAITHAM AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS OMAN’S RENEWED RENAISSANCE
MUSCAT, Oman, Sept. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Sultanate of Oman placed global attention on youth-led architecture as His Highness Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said, Honorary President of the “Programme of Promising Omani Startups” (POPS), visited the Sultanate of Oman Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan. Assigned by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, HH Sayyid Bilarab centered his program on the pavilion’s design origins and on the young Omani team that delivered the project after winning the Bilarab Bin Haitham Award for Architectural Design. The visit positioned the pavilion as a flagship example of how the award converts promising concepts into built public works that represent Oman internationally.
During the tour, HH Sayyid Bilarab met curators and members of the award-winning team and reviewed the core experiences that carry the pavilion’s theme, Earth, Water, and Humanity. He began at the Water Corridor, which links interior galleries to an outdoor plaza and references Oman’s aflaj irrigation systems through shade, airflow, and reflective surfaces that create thermal comfort. He continued to the Land and Water Hall, where an immersive film traces biodiversity from the Arabian Sea to the Hajar Mountains.
Sayyid Said bin Sultan Al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture and Commissioner-General of Oman’s participation, stated that the pavilion showcases achievements of Oman’s renewed renaissance that prioritize openness, cultural exchange, and youth creativity. He noted that commissioning the pavilion through the Bilarab Bin Haitham Award signals national confidence in young architects to deliver at an international standard and to tell Oman’s story through contemporary design.
HH Sayyid Bilarab also signed the Expo VIP guest book, exchanged commemorative gifts with Japanese counterparts, and visited the Japan Pavilion, where he was received by Director Noriyuki Kuroda and briefed on zones titled the Land, the Farm, and the Factory. The Omani National Day celebration at Expo formed the backdrop to the visit and included the national anthems of both countries and a performance by the Royal Cavalry Band.
The Bilarab Bin Haitham Award for Architectural Design is a national program that elevates young Omani architects and designers by commissioning real projects that serve communities at home and represent Oman abroad. The pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka stands as a built demonstration of this model and of Oman’s commitment to youth-led creativity. The Sultanate of Oman Pavilion has welcomed more than one million visitors to date, an indicator of strong international interest in the country’s culture, innovation, and approach to sustainable design.
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