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On April 20th, a week after the opening, a talk session was held featuring world-renowned architect Shigeru Ban, who was responsible for the architectural design of the BLUE OCEAN DOME; Kenya Hara, a leading Japanese designer who handled the overall production and exhibition; Yoshiharu Doi, a culinary researcher who developed the “Purify: A Primordial Saltwater Tonic” for Dome C; and Yusuke Saraya, Chairman of ZERI JAPAN. Under the theme “The Future Shown by the Blue Ocean Dome,” they exchanged views on the concepts of architecture and exhibition, the value of the Expo, and the future of the Blue Ocean.
Regarding the architecture and exhibition highlights of the BLUE OCEAN DOME, Mr. Ban explained his architectural style of using paper in structural design and the structure of the dome. He emphasized that Dome A is made of laminated bamboo, Dome B of carbon fiber, and Dome C of paper materials, marking a new challenge for future architecture.
Mr. Hara explained that the exhibitions within the dome are designed to intuitively understand water circulation and marine pollution. He spoke in detail about the video exhibition that conveys the severity of marine pollution caused by plastic waste. Mr. Doi discussed food and the future from the perspective of a culinary researcher, explaining the development process of ” Purify: A Primordial Saltwater Tonic ” and attempts to express harmony with nature.
In the talk session among the four, they touched on the theme of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, “Designing a Future Society for Our Lives,” with Mr. Ban suggesting that the Expo should be a venue for new architectural and technological endeavors, and Mr. Hara emphasizing the importance of raising awareness of marine issues and encouraging behavioral change through the Expo. He spoke about the theme of the BLUE OCEAN DOME and the post-Expo, saying, “I believe that humanity’s future hinges on how seriously we consider the limits of capitalism and how we manage the sea as a vital commons (shared resource). This pavilion embodies such thoughts.”
The perspectives from architecture, design, and food culture intersected, demonstrating that to realize a sustainable future society, cross-disciplinary cooperation and the sharing of new values centered on the three keywords “Diversity,” “Inclusivity,” and “Sustainability” are essential. These thoughts were embedded in the BLUE OCEAN DOME, hoping that the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo would serve as a catalyst for these ideas to permeate society widely and become a driving force for individual behavioral change, resulting in a fruitful talk session where knowledge from various fields converged.
▼The event is available on YouTube on the BLUE OCEAN DOME official channel. Please visit the site.
【#006】The Cross Talk of Shigeru Ban, Kenya Hara, and Yoshiharu Doi (ZERI JAPAN)