SHIGERU BAN, BLUE OCEAN
DOME, OSAKA EXPO 2025
The Blue Ocean Dome project, designed by Shigeru Ban
and ZERI Japan for Osaka Expo 2025, is an innovative architectural and
environmental response to some of the most pressing ocean challenges facing the
planet today, such as plastic pollution, the future of marine industries and
climate change. At the heart of the project are three architecturally
distinct domes, each designed out of innovative materials that reflect the
architect's responsible and forward-thinking building philosophy. Each dome sends out a message and embodies its own
technical innovation for sustainability.
Dome A (approx. 19 metres in diameter), made of
layered bamboo, focuses on abandoned bamboo forests and uses bamboo as a
durable and environmentally-friendly structural material. The dome acts as a reception area and multimedia
presentation of the exhibition's marine themes. - Dome B (approx. 42 metres) is
the world's first large-scale structure made of PRFC (carbon-fibre reinforced
plastic), a material currently used in the aircraft and car industries, but not
yet for building major structural designs. It offers lightweight, solid and
recyclable architecture that does not require deep foundations for building on
the artificial island of Yumeshima. Dome C (approx. 19 metres high) is built
out of recycled paper tubes assembled in an atomic-type configuration and acts as
a communication centre for exhibitions and events. Photos: Hiroyuki Hirai
