A Corten Steel Tent in the Nature Sayuwon Arboretum, Gunwi, South Korea

Sayuwon park is place of quiet contemplation filled with trees that overcame the wind and frost of many years, stone statues shaped by the mind’s inspiration, and surreal architecture.
From the first conceptual idea by the chairman Yoo Jaesung in 2013, until now, is a private park where the best architects, artist, landscaper design are invited to dialogue with the natural landscape. The site covers an area totaling 330,000 m2 and takes about three hours to look around in its entirety. The park includes architecture by Alvaro Siza, Seung h-sang, Wook Choi.

The project responds to the client’s request to create a multipurpose structure capable of hosting shows, concerts, and outdoor celebrations, with a 20×14-meter stage area suitable for hosting a full orchestra but also, more simply, a resting place for visitors to shelter from the rain and protect themselves from the sun. A work that combines functionality and beauty in harmony with the evocative landscape of Sayuwon.

Inspired by the art of origami, where precise folds transform a simple sheet of paper into figures of animals and insects, in the same way the conceptual form of the stage comes to life from precise folds of a sheet of Corten steel, a material symbolic of Sayuwon. The result is a stable and efficient form where the considerable structural effort is minimized by eliminating thicknesses. The particular tapered shape in plan and section resembles the mouth of a megaphone that amplifies sound and focuses attention on the center of the stage, allowing the landscape to become a natural stage.
Like a butterfly gently resting on a flower, the steel tent rests delicately on the ground at only four points, leaving the views of the landscape unobstructed.
An essential, sharp, and iconic silhouette frames the landscape, creating a dialogue between nature and architecture.
The structure is made with a system of metal beams that rest on only four points on a concrete base. The structure is then covered externally with 2 mm thick Corten steel paneling and internally with 1 mm thick black painted steel paneling with a special acoustically designed profile. The project is completed by linear LED lights inserted into the false ceiling and a small storage room with a sloping roof, also clad in Corten steel.
Strong yet ethereal, the structure is not only a functional element but also an iconic landmark that celebrates the beauty of Sayuwon and welcomes visitors with elegance and lightness.