Sayeowon will hold a special Alvaro Siza week event through June 28. The event is being held as part of celebrations for his 93rd birthday. Álvaro Siza is a Portuguese architect and Pritzker Prize winner who took part in the design of three buildings at Sayeowon: Soyoheon, Sodae, and Naesimnakwon.
According to Sayeowon on the 22nd, the special week will feature a “stamp tour” tracing Siza’s architecture. All visitors will receive a photo postcard of Soyoheon as a gift. Those who complete all three stamps placed at Soyoheon, Sodae, and Naesimnakwon will also receive a special present.
To mark the special week, Sayeowon is presenting a range of attractions. First, at the lounge “Yoyobinbin” in front of Soyoheon, it will showcase “Álvaro Siza’s Table,” an exhibition of the architect’s drawings, plans, and videos. Special merchandise, including a Naesimnakwon miniature, an eco-bag featuring Siza’s drawings, and a Sayeowon photobook set, will also be offered at special prices.
On June 25, Siza’s birthday, visitors to the Yoyobinbin lounge in front of Soyoheon will be served magnolia flower tea. Magnolia is known as a tree Siza is especially fond of, and Sayeowon has planted magnolias at the entrance to Soyoheon and in the central courtyard. “Dangdubonggal,” located inside Soyoheon and displaying Siza’s drawings, will also be open for one day as an Álvaro Siza video hall. A Sayeowon official said this will give visitors a chance to explore Siza’s architectural philosophy and body of work in a space that is not usually open to the general public.
Sayeowon was selected for two consecutive years as a promising tourism destination in the “Korea Tourism Star Awards,” organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization for 2024 and 2025. Set on a 520,000-square-meter site on the slopes of Mt. Palgong in Daegu Metropolitan City, it is a forest garden where various trees, including quince trees, blend harmoniously with works by world-renowned architects, landscape designers, and artists. To ensure a comfortable visit in this contemplative space, daily visitor numbers are limited to around 500.
A Sayeowon official said, “We hope this special week will offer a more multidimensional way to encounter Siza’s philosophy through an architectural walk connecting Soyoheon, Sodae, and Naesimnakwon.”
Kim Se-hyung fax123@sportschosun.com
