Álvaro Siza . Carlos Castanheira . Jun Saung Kim . photos: © FG +SG – Fotografia de Arquitectura
February 2005: the invitation, urgent and unexpected. A small town of 300.000 inhabitants had initiated the development of a cultural centre at the entrance to a natural park, located amidst beautiful mountains. As an addition, but central to the composition a multifunction pavilion open to one and all would be necessary. The name of Álvaro Siza was mentioned and the invitation arrived, hand delivered to him in Porto.
March 2005: The urgency was real and I went directly to the location to survey and accumulate the information necessary for the architect’s work. As the brief was sparse, including a multifunctional space, a small office, perhaps for the police, and toilets for use by people visiting the park and also for those staying around the nearby square and restaurants.
On my arrival, Jun, a corean architect who had studied abroad and worked in Porto but was now established in Seul and a was a friend of mine for 20 years, was waiting for me. Our friendship and common profession created a necessary link. On arrival I feel the presence of urgency; the urgency of urgency, because the country is like that, like the people and their lives. There’s time to decide, but once the decision is made urgency begins. There is great euphoria for the APAP2005 – Anyang Public Art Project 2005, many artists and some architects have already confirmed their participation. One senses a certain preoccupation, is it that so many invited participants of so many different nationalities will understand the urgency? With our own calm we gather information, take photographs, request maps, search for documentation. We investigate what kind of architecture had been produced before its almost complete destruction by the wars and identify current architecture of merit, we search, our friends help us and show us examples. The location is an open space made in the mountain, a square to be created.
Back to Porto and the West, I try to transmit the experience the happenings, the tastes and the background for the work. Siza receives, understands, questions and interprets like no one else. The first work session produces some sketches, still tentative and interpretive. The second session supported by a site mode becomes more precise, the form begins to take shape with the resolution of the brief. Other sessions follow, typically on Saturdays and Sundays. The atmosphere is great. Models are made, the scale is brought up, and further sketches indicate changes to the plans, models and 3D drawings. We must go back to Korea and make a presentation to the Client.
July 2005: on arrival we are informed that the presentation will be at 17.00h. At 17.00h the meeting begins; the mayor of the town, relevant councillors, technical council staff, some local architects and other guests. A short presentation of Álvaro Siza’s work, presentation of the proposal, some translation, some intelligent questions, a requirement to increase the size of the public toilets element, but nothing that would prevent the formal approval of the proposal, for of course we are technicians and will make the necessary changes as requested. Thanks for the quality, but also for responding to the urgency. The works must be started, it is necessary to build, it is urgent and what about the snow…19.00h a dinner to confirm the satisfaction with the project, its acceptance and official approval.
On returning, the process, although identical, is different, as we move on to working drawings. The form is adapted to the small programmatic alterations required. The drawings gain scale and rigour but always following the sketch and the sketch follows the rigour required by construction. The works begin and the drawing goes on. The Internet allows for exchange of information but also allows us to se the building growing, although at a distance.
November 2005: back again for the opening of the park and to visit the work. The basic volume is complete in grey concrete so fine it’s almost white, allowing one to anticipate the quality of light. A perfect execution, in the context of urgency. The place was made for this volume and the volume grows out of it.
The park, a vanity fair is pleasant; unpleasant, and surprising to me is their ability to build. Very little is well done, a lot has a temporary character, almost throwaway. The best will last, time will not forgive. We discuss infra-structure, services, finishes, materials, we prepare for the next phase, which is the finishes. In Porto we follow the completion of the works, almost in real time, with complicity.
July 2006: Back in Korea, our surprise is great, despite the exchange of photos. Entering the finished space is sublime, as is the light. The space is not static and when we move it sings as Siza would put it. It is introverted when it needs to be, extroverted in its perspectives, its routes, in its volumetric form and the materials.
It rains and rains, it’s the monsoon, it dramatizes things a bit, but it’s fine. Despite the necessary corrections, which are few and fundamental, such as a work by Álvaro Siza requires. The Client, the city, respectfully makes the request and the pavilion takes the name of Anyang Álvaro Siza Hall. Already in use the inauguration will take place soon.
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Project: March 2005 – July 2006
Construction: September 2005 – July 2006
Architects: Álvaro Siza with Carlos Castanheira and Jun Saung Kim
Office in Portugal: Carlos Castanheira & Clara Bastai, Lda.
Collaborators: Orlando Sousa, Demis Lopes, Bruno André, João Figueiredo
Office in Korea: h-ANd
Project Architect: Young-il Park
Collaborators: Seungwook Kim, Dusuk Jang
Structure engineer: TNI Struture Engineering
Electrical Engineer: JUNG-MIOUNG Engineering Group Co., LTD.
Mechanical Engineer: SUN-WOO Engineering & Consultant Co., LTD.
General Contractor: Sambu Construction Co., LTD
Gross floor area: 781.45m2
Building Height: 7.5m
Photography: Fernando Guerra
FG +SG – Fotografia de Arquitectura
