Embankment – Anatomy of a Dhow, Expo Osaka 2025 – Lina Ghotmeh
Lina Ghotmeh’s pavilion for Bahrain at Expo Osaka 2025 reinterprets the form and craft of the traditional Bahraini dhow, translating the country’s maritime heritage into a contemporary timber structure that resonates with Japanese woodmaking. Commissioned by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, the 995 square meter pavilion offers a sensory sequence of spaces.
By grounding the design in Bahrain’s history as a maritime crossroads, the pavilion reflects the country’s long culture of exchange and innovation while aligning with the Expo’s theme of “Designing Future Society for our Lives.” Collaborations with Shepherd Studio, Sissel Tolaas, Hassan Hujairi, and La Méduse explore connectivity across trade, craft, pearling, manufacturing, and ecology.
