In preparation for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, The “Grand Ring,” designed by renowned architect Sou Fujimoto, has reached a significant milestone. As of August 2024, the wooden construction of this structure is now complete, fully connecting the 2-kilometer ring into a continuous loop. This achievement is a crucial step in the development of the Expo site on Yumeshima, an artificial island on Osaka’s waterfront, where the Expo will take place from April 13 to October 13, 2025.

The “Grand Ring” is designed to embody the Expo’s theme, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” and symbolizes the philosophy of “Diversity in Unity.” This massive timber structure, covering a horizontal projected area of approximately 60,000 square meters, is one of the world’s largest wooden constructions in the world. With an inner diameter of 615 meters and an outer diameter of 675 meters, the ring is 30 meters wide and stands 12 meters tall, rising to 20 meters at its highest point. The design combines traditional Japanese wooden construction techniques, such as nuki (penetration) joints, with modern engineering methods.

The completion of the “Grand Ring” is a key element of the broader Master Plan for Expo 2025, which was drafted by Sou Foujimoto Architects during the COVID-19 pandemic to address global challenges through sustainability, innovation, and international collaboration. The masterplan structure at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, is divided into three equal zones, each reflecting one of the event’s subthemes: Saving Lives, Empowering Lives, and Connecting Lives.

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Architect: Sou Fujimoto Atelier Paris