Jang Geumyong: "We Must Seriously Consider Improvements"
Complaints Continue Over Appearance Different from Original Renderings
A bird's-eye view (left) and the actual appearance of the artificial tree observatory 'Big Tree' in Changwon, Gyeongnam. Changwon City
The massive artificial tree observatory 'Big Tree,' which had been anticipated as a future landmark of Changwon, Gyeongnam, has been unveiled to the public with an appearance that is markedly different from the original renderings, leading to disappointment among citizens.
According to Changwon City and other sources on July 4, 'Big Tree' was constructed as part of a special private park development project for Daesang Park in Seongsan-gu. The Daesang Park special project, with a total project cost of 1 trillion won, allows the private developer to create 87.3% of the total park area of approximately 957,000 square meters as park facilities, including Big Tree and Moms Free Zone, which are then donated to the city. The remaining 12.7% is used to build non-park facilities such as apartments with a total of 1,779 units, generating profit for the developer.
As the project neared completion, Big Tree surpassed a 90% construction rate and its exterior was revealed. However, its appearance fell short of expectations, and citizens could not hide their disappointment. Big Tree is an urban observatory shaped like an artificial tree, with approximately 34.4 billion won invested in its construction. It is equipped with a meditation center, a media facade, and three elevators. After opening, it is scheduled to operate as a paid facility, charging an entrance fee.
However, after various reviews and since construction began in 2022, changes occurred in the process, such as the city deciding in a landscape committee review in May last year not to install the main tree. The city is understood to have been concerned that the main tree, as a large artificial structure, could be vulnerable to natural disasters such as typhoons.
When comparing the nearly completed Big Tree to the original renderings, the approximately 40-meter-high building columns have been constructed as thick cylinders rather than in the originally planned tree shape, and the trees themselves are sparsely placed, presenting a completely different appearance.
Among citizens, reactions have included comments such as "Is this a balding Big Tree?", "It looks like something from a small city in Southeast Asia," and "It would have been better not to build it at all. It's embarrassing," reflecting their disappointment.
It has been reported that complaints to the city are continuing, and the city also acknowledges the citizens' concerns. Big Tree is the first large structure visible after passing through the Changwon Tunnel, which is one of the gateways into Changwon from other areas such as Busan and Gimhae. It is no exaggeration to say that Big Tree determines the first impression of Changwon, so the city is currently conducting an internal review on how to improve it.
According to Yonhap News, Jang Geumyong, the acting mayor of Changwon, stated at an executive meeting held that morning, "Since this concerns the first impression of Changwon City, we need to seriously consider whether there is anything more that needs to be improved."
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