"Without contemplation and spirituality, we descend into barbarism once again."
This was one of the most profound and thought-provoking reflections shared by Byung-Chul Han with the audience that filled the Jardim do Pensamento, which opened last Wednesday in Leça do Balio. Pausing, listening and engaging in discussion are precisely the principles underpinning the creation of Livraria Lello’s new auditorium, which launched its cultural programme with a session featuring the acclaimed South Korean philosopher.
"The great crisis of our time is not one of scarcity. It is one of excess (…) of stimuli, productivity and noise." – Byung-Chul Han
During the presentation of the BABELL festival and the inauguration of the bookshop’s expansion, Aurora Pedro Pinto quoted Byung-Chul Han. His words became the inspiration for the creation of an auditorium within the world’s most beautiful bookshop. Located in a secluded area, it is a space designed to invite contemplation, reading and reflection.
"A book demands what our time grants us least: time." — Aurora Pedro Pinto
Time was precisely what the philosopher and essayist dedicated to an intimate conversation with the nearly 70 participants who filled Livraria Lello’s newest venue. Byung-Chul Han, who admits he does not enjoy travelling or leaving home, made an exception to visit Porto and, within the space of just a few days, take part in two moments of dialogue and introspection.
The auditorium is one of four new spaces introduced as part of Livraria Lello’s expansion. Designed by Siza Vieira, the new wing increases the bookshop’s size by approximately five times, bringing it close to 1,000 square metres. In addition to the auditorium, the expansion includes exhibition areas and improved accessibility, circulation and visitor facilities, further reinforcing Livraria Lello’s role as a cultural institution for all audiences in the city.
