Chapter 009. The Welcoming Fountain (5)

Just a day ago, he had resolved not to miss even the smallest opportunity.

Yejun unfolded the hand-drawn floor plan with a satisfied smile.

"The route leading to New Hope Hospital has a gentle slope. The two roads that intersect at right angles are at different elevations on the vertical hierarchy, and the narrower road is much lower than the main car entrance."

After completing the surrounding buildings and their placement in Conta, it was expected that he would have a good understanding of the site. However, it was no easy task for an intern to immediately grasp the relationship between the surrounding terrain and the buildings.

Impressed by Yejun's high-level understanding that naturally connected the two-dimensional layout with the three-dimensional model, Director Park No-hoon inwardly marveled.

"This place serves as a secondary entrance, but I also envisioned it as a small haven for patients within the stark hospital environment.

The Welcoming Fountain should be a space where patients can enjoy contemplative healing. Therefore, I chose to guide the route with graceful, nature-inspired curves rather than rigid straight lines."

"Nature-inspired curves?"

As Director Park recalled the meaning, Yejun nodded in agreement.

"As you well know, curves are the most fundamental design element in all of Gaudi's architecture."

"Exactly!"

The path crossing the park organically connects two types of routes: a wide, short route that directly leads to the hospital entrance and a narrow, long route for leisurely strolls.

Among these, the slow, zigzagging route that moves through the gentle terrain caught Director Park's attention.

The long route was so extensive that it was hard to believe it was just a small park. It featured eye-catching sculptures at various points and pocket spaces that encouraged people to pause.

It was a meticulously composed space with a story, much like Gaudi's Park Guell.

While listening to Yejun's explanation of the 'Welcoming Fountain,' Director Park imagined walking through the park himself, picturing the charming details.

'The composition of the space is natural. Even if Gaudi himself had designed it, I doubt he could have done better.'

The more he listened to Yejun's explanation, the more he marveled at the depth of thought behind his floor plan.

What had seemed like an impenetrable fog suddenly cleared, as if he had climbed to the top of a mountain and could see the world below.

'Impressive!'

To create such a perfect floor plan, one that could even impress a design expert, in just half a day was truly remarkable.

It was impossible to gauge how vast a world could fit into that small head.

"Good, very good!"

Forgetting that he was the one in charge of this design, Director Park was convinced that he should entrust the Welcoming Fountain to Yejun.

"To be honest, I intended to modify it based on your suggestions. But I can't find anything to improve in this design. Let's proceed with the drawings as they are.

However, could you sketch the key points of this floor plan? We'll need perspective drawings to convince the client."

"Hmm... the level of detail?"

Director Park looked around and brought a sketch on tracing paper.

It was a well-drawn perspective sketch.

"Would this be too difficult?"

Yejun smiled slightly and nodded in understanding.

"Would one be enough?"

"Two would be better."

* * *

Seo Young-gwang, an intern in Design Team 3, fixed his gaze on the monitor, secretly listening to the conversation between Director Park No-hoon and the new intern, feeling bitter disappointment.

'That praise should have been for me...'

He was the one who had created the sketch that Director Park had shown to Yejun.

Yesterday, Young-gwang had received the same task as Yejun: to design an entry space inspired by Gaudi's sensibility.

'This is my chance!'

Eager to impress Director Park, Young-gwang confidently expressed his abilities.

"I'm confident in Gaudi's architectural design characteristics. I studied Gaudi intensively in college and planned to design my graduation project in his style."

"Good. You're from Hongin University, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"You seem to be quite skilled at sketching. I look forward to it."

Hongin University's Department of Architecture was famous for producing many architects with artistic and sculptural abilities, thanks to its historical background rooted in the early days of the art department.

Young-gwang, who had a talent for sketching since childhood, became fascinated with Gaudi's artistic architectural designs after entering college and had repeatedly copied his buildings.

It was a perfect opportunity, as if the test questions had been predicted and prepared just for him.

The design he created after a day of struggling with paper was almost perfect in his eyes.

He had almost perfectly replicated Gaudi's design, referencing photos of Park Guell.

He had completed not only the floor plan but also the perspective drawings, and when he brought them to Director Park No-hoon before leaving work, the director had praised his talent.

He had expected his design to be chosen, of course.

It seemed he had drunk too much kimchi broth.

The situation had turned around because of a floor plan drawn in just half a day.

As he listened to the new intern confidently explain the concept, Young-gwang's curiosity only grew.

'What could he have done so well that the director likes him so much?'

Waiting for lunchtime, Young-gwang approached Yejun.

"Hello? You're an intern, right? I think I saw you during the orientation on your first day."

"Yes, that's right. I'm Han Yejun from the model team."

"I'm Seo Young-gwang. Would you like to have lunch together? Everyone is busy, so they said they would order their own food."

"Ah, it's already lunchtime. Sure."

Yejun readily agreed.

"By the way, what are you working on now...?"

"Oh, it's the design for the entrance of New Hope Hospital."

Yejun smiled awkwardly and added,

"I think it was assigned to me because of the model work."

* * *

In his previous life, Gaudi did not particularly enjoy unfamiliar environments.

Due to his frail health and the arthritis that made him a cripple, he had always been sensitive to people's pitying gazes.

This sensitivity led him to build a strong wall and keep people at a distance.

In his later years, he was even called a reclusive and stubborn architect.

He disliked having his photo taken because he had seen people who praised his buildings as divine works of art become disappointed when they saw his humble appearance.

He did not want his unfortunate appearance to isolate the buildings he had built with his soul from people.

The more Gaudi hid behind his buildings, the more his works shone.

From the moment he entered Design Team 3, he had felt an unfamiliar gaze piercing the back of his head.

When Director Park gave him a sketch to reference, the emotions in that gaze reached a peak.

He turned his head toward the gaze and saw Seo Young-gwang, who had quickly lowered his head in surprise.

Despite his approach during lunch, Young-gwang's intentions were not entirely clear.

However, throughout lunch, he boasted about his knowledge of Gaudi's architecture but did not reveal what he really wanted to say.

'What is he trying to say by beating around the bush?'

It was only when they were almost back at the office that he understood.

"I also received the same task from Director Park No-hoon yesterday. I thought I knew Gaudi as well as anyone and did my best to design it..."

Young-gwang awkwardly smiled, trying not to show his disappointment.

Of course, the problem was that Yejun already knew what he was thinking.

To Yejun, Young-gwang's sketch was quite good.

The issue was that it looked like a poorly fitting suit.

He probably wouldn't understand even if explained now.

"The sketch you showed me, it was yours, right? It was quite impressive."

"Hehe, not really."

Young-gwang laughed awkwardly and said,

"I've been doing art as a hobby since middle school. My mom said being an artist wouldn't make money, so I had no choice but to become an architect. It's embarrassing to say, but I was often praised for my perspective drawings in college."

"I can see that."

"Ah! If you have any difficulties with your work, let me know. I'll help you."

"Hmm."

'How cute. Talking about sketches in front of me.'

Even Picasso, now known as a master of Cubism, would have been impressed by his sketches.

Thinking of Picasso brought back memories he didn't want to remember.

Snap!

He still couldn't forget the time Picasso mocked him.

* * *

Where there is light, darkness follows.

Although he was later praised for living like a saint in his later years, the young Gaudi did not hesitate to use any means to achieve the architecture he desired.

"A leech who clings to the power and capital of the ruling class and the new rich, sucking the blood of workers."

This was what young artists said about him during his heyday.

Among them, Picasso was the most scathing critic.

He did not hesitate to belittle the value of the Sagrada Familia, which Gaudi had been working on for decades.

"Catholic spirit? Ha! When the common people are living in hell, does a mere god feed them?"

Of course, the noble and sacred Gaudi only laughed at his criticism.

The conflict between Gaudi and Picasso intensified when the 'Sacred Art Institute' where Gaudi worked banned nude paintings of women.

"Ridiculous. A woman's nude is art itself. Can't you see that all the goddesses in ancient Greek mythology are depicted nude? Anyway, old-fashioned fools!"

Young artists rose up against the oppression of religion on artists, but they could not stand up to the overwhelming power of the Catholic Church at the time.

In the end, the conservative faction won, and Picasso, who had no lingering attachment to Barcelona, left for Paris, the city of art.

He later achieved tremendous success, but Gaudi did not expect him to rise to the ranks of Spain's representative artists.

While reading information about his life, Gaudi smiled bitterly when he saw that Picasso had enjoyed all the glory and fame in his lifetime.

'The Picasso who harshly criticized me as a lackey of the powerful has become just another materialist in the face of money.'

However, after seeing a few of his works, Gaudi understood why Picasso was called a 'genius painter who revolutionized 20th-century art.'

'But his style remains the same. He never lost his rebellious spirit, even in old age.'

Someone once said that art dies the moment it is completed.

But Picasso's revolutionary art continued to influence modern people and stubbornly survived even after his death.

'But my art is not finished yet.'

What kind of evaluation would he receive after the completion of the Sagrada Familia?

Yejun closed the search window with a slightly complicated feeling.

* * *

He brought the completed sketches to Director Park No-hoon.

"Director, please review them."

"Huh? Already finished?"

"Two sheets..."

Director Park No-hoon took the sketches from Yejun's hand and nodded with a pleased expression.

"The composition is excellent."

"Thank you."

"I would believe Gaudi himself drew it."

"Ah..."

Was this praise, or a comment that he hadn't grown since his prime?

'Time was limited, but I also need to make a model. I'll be satisfied with this. I can add more details while making the model.'

"Now, if the model can capture this feeling, it will be perfect."

Director Park No-hoon, who had been smiling, suddenly stiffened and muttered to himself.

"But can this be expressed in the model?"

"I'll try to make it."

Yejun, who had already planned how to make the model while sketching, smiled confidently.

"By the way, Director, I have one question."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Do we have to make the model only in white?"

"Hmm? Let me check."

After scanning the competition guidelines, Director Park replied.

"The main building's model material is specified as transparent acrylic and white color, but the use of color is allowed for the surrounding terrain and objects."

With Director Park's answer, the black-and-white lines and surfaces in Yejun's mind began to gradually take on color, like a watercolor painting.

A serene and elegant color palette that revealed the beauty of Korea, different from the colors used in Barcelona, and yet luminous and enchanting.

At the same time, a satisfied smile appeared on Yejun's face.

"Director, can you entrust the color design of the 'Welcoming Fountain' to me as well?"