The iconic symbol of EXPO 2025 has been officially entered into the Guinness World Records. The Grand Ring has been recognized as the world's largest wooden structure.
On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the Japan Association for the World EXPO 2025 announced that the massive wooden ring has been officially recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's largest architectural wooden structure. Designed by renowned Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, the Grand Ring encircles the central area of the EXPO site. Within the ring, visitors will find national pavilions of international participants, eight thematic pavilions created by Japanese designers, and features such as the Forest of Tranquility, offering a peaceful retreat for visitors.
The construction of the Grand Ring on Yumeshima Island in Osaka Bay, within the EXPO site set to open to the public on April 13, 2025, began on June 30, 2023. The wooden structure was completed in August 2024, with roof adjustments continuing until February 2025. According to the global authority on world records, the Grand Ring deserves recognition not only for its scale but also for its massive roof, which spans over 61,000 square meters.
Even before the official opening of EXPO 2025, the wooden ring by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto has already become a symbol of the world exhibition. It joins a prestigious list of architectural landmarks introduced through world expos, including the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Atomium in Brussels, the Space Needle in Seattle, and the Tower of the Sun in Osaka’s Expo '70 Commemorative Park.
Grand Ring also represents the design philosophy of the exhibition site: "Unity in Diversity." "Visitors will be able to observe the entire venue and individual pavilions from different points along the covered ring-shaped walkway. The ring will also serve as a communication zone, where people can engage in discussions, explore their surroundings, or comfortably seek shelter from adverse weather conditions under the roof. Wooden architecture is the sustainable architecture of the future, and Japan is a leader in this field. I hope that by combining traditional techniques with modern Japanese technologies, we can showcase this future to the world," architect Sou Fujimoto previously commented on the construction for Czech participation at EXPO 2025.
During the official announcement of the Guinness World Record recognition, Fujimoto expressed his belief that the wooden symbol of EXPO sends a message about the importance of building connections in a world that has become increasingly divided.
Built using a combination of modern construction methods and traditional "nuki" joints—used in the construction of Japanese shrines and temples—the wooden ring will serve as the main circulation route around the exhibition site. It will ensure smooth crowd movement while providing visitors with a comfortable space protected from rain, wind, and sun. Standing up to 20 meters tall with a circumference of approximately two kilometers, the structure is made from about 27,000 cubic meters of wood, including Japanese cypress and cedar as well as European pine.
More information about the Grand Ring can be found at this link. Source: Original text with contributions from the Japan Association for the World EXPO 2025 and ČTK.
