OSAKA: The world’s largest ring-shaped wooden roof was completed Wednesday as a symbol of the 2025 World Exposition to be held in Osaka, western Japan.

The structure at the Expo venue on the artificial island of Yumeshima cost 34.4 billion yen to build. Elevators will be installed and landscaping and other work completed by year-end.

The building, designed by Japanese architect Sosuke Fujimoto, encircles pavilions of overseas participants, representing the Expo’s philosophy of “Unity in Diversity.”

It has a circumference of some 2 kilometers and a height of 12 to 20 meters, providing cover from the sun and rain. From the rooftop, visitors will be able to view the entire Expo site and the nearby sea. The building will be illuminated during the Expo, set to run from April to October 2025.

On Wednesday, timber was fitted into the floor on the southwestern section of the rooftop.

The wooden part of the building was expected to be completed around the end of next month. But construction went smoothly, allowing it to be finished ahead of schedule, according to the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition.

The structure has drawn criticism as a waste of money. The association is considering how to reuse it effectively after the event.

JIJI Press