Indoor observatory and cafe proposal selected for 2028 construction target

Structural safety, legal validity and funding still need verification

An aerial view of the Big Tree at Daesang Park in Changwon [Changwon city government]
An aerial view of the Big Tree at Daesang Park in Changwon [Changwon city government]

Changwon city is seeking ways to revitalize the "Big Tree" at Daesang Park — a structure that has long drawn criticism as a white elephant — through a public ideas competition. But the top-ranked proposal to build an indoor observatory and cafe inside the structure must first clear significant hurdles in structural safety, legal compliance and financing before it can move forward as an actual project.

The city announced Friday that it had selected eight winning entries from 190 submissions in the "Daesang Park Big Tree Improvement Ideas Competition." The contest ran from Aug. 13 to Sept. 2.

The top prize went to a proposal to install an indoor observatory and cafe inside the Big Tree. Ideas for exterior improvements and landscape lighting took second place, while five entries — including accessibility upgrades and a rooftop garden — received honorable mentions. The city will distribute 3 million won ($2,250) in prize money and plans to finalize the overall improvement direction by year's end.

The top-ranked proposal faces a difficult road to implementation, as it would require reinforcing the structure's load-bearing capacity, clearing potential conflicts with building codes and securing project funding. A city official said the competition was intended to gather ideas for setting a direction, adding that structural safety and legal validity would need to be thoroughly reviewed during a subsequent design competition and actual design process before any specific proposal could be adopted.

The project budget and funding sources have yet to be worked out. With the settlement process for a private development project at Daesang Park still ongoing, any draw on city funds could trigger debate in the city council over additional fiscal burdens.

Improving access to the site and securing sustainable programming are also cited as challenges. Visitors currently must walk up a steep slope of about 500 meters from the nearest parking lot to reach the Big Tree. The city has taken short-term steps to draw visitors — placing chrysanthemum pots with support from the Agricultural Technology Center and the Changwon Culture Foundation, and mounting an exhibition of 12 artworks — but concerns remain that without fundamental improvements to access and lasting content, such efforts will amount to little more than one-off events.

Changwon plans to launch a design competition early next year, proceed with detailed design work and begin full-scale construction around 2028. Whether the public's ideas will translate into a genuinely revitalized space — or become yet another budget drain — will depend on the rigor of the reviews and administrative steps ahead.


ook967@heraldcorp.com