The Grand Ring
Osaka, Japan | Architect Sou Fujimoto | 2025
The Grand Ring at Expo 2025 has become one of the most discussed construction projects in Japan.
Beyond its scale and engineering, the project has sparked important conversations about what should happen after major events end.
Researchers, designers, and builders are closely watching how materials will be recovered, redistributed, and reused. The project offers a rare opportunity to evaluate whether circular construction principles can operate at an international scale.Research Lens
Primary Theme
Contemporary construction systems for disassembly and material reuse
Construction System
Mass Timber
Research Question
How can contemporary projects for disassembly be influenced by traditional techniques?
Contemporary Relevance
Design for Disassembly
Closed disassembly viewed from afarResearch Takeaways
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Expo structures are testing large-scale material recovery.
The Grand Ring has become a global case study, but isn’t necessarily living up to its potential.
Temporary architecture is reshaping conversations about permanence.
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