Iida City (Nagano) is holding a public lecture and panel discussion focused on the large wooden roof canopy planned for the Iida Linear (Maglev) Station Plaza. The event is meant to explain why the city is investing in a timber “symbol” structure—especially as the Chuo Shinkansen opening has slipped to 2035 or later, while partial opening of the station plaza is approaching in FY2028.
Event basics
Date/Time: Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, 1:30–4:30 p.m. (doors open 1:00 p.m.)
Venue: S-BIRD Hall, Iida (Zakoji)
Cost/Registration: Free, but advance registration required (deadline Feb. 27).
Program (what’s on the agenda)
Keynote lecture by Atsushi Kitagawara (Tokyo University of the Arts, Professor Emeritus), who worked on the canopy’s basic design concept.
Panel discussion moderated by Iida Mayor Ken Sato, on what the canopy signals for the future of wood architecture in the Ina Valley. Panelists include Kitagawara, Masahiro Inayama (University of Tokyo, Professor Emeritus; structural design), and Masaru Arai (Arai Architectural Workshop + NEXT; design team).
On-site displays (city site): models and visuals for the station plaza and canopy, plus related exhibits.
Why it’s getting attention
The canopy is planned to be built using locally sourced Iida timber, positioning it as a way to showcase regional forest resources and create a place residents can identify with—while also making a broader case for local materials and wood-based construction as part of the area’s future identity.
Info based on: https://iida.keizai.biz/headline/1611/ Accessed 2026-02-18
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