The site for the commercial-residential building is located in a small residential district developed in the early 2000s to collectively relocate residents who had been scattered in the Jeungsimsa Temple district of Mudeungsan Mountain, outside the park areas. The refreshing sound of rushing water in the valley and its proximity to the summit of Mudeungsan Mountain create a beautiful and serene village atmosphere. Visitors who travel from afar for meals or tea, hikers, and local residents strolling through the village add a subtle liveliness to the community.
PLAN Architects office
A middle-aged couple with two sons requested a commercial-residential building with a family residence and rental spaces for cafés or workshops. A new approach needed to avoid the separation of spaces caused by the contrasting characteristics of residential and rental areas. In response, the designers created the house to respect the distinct functions of each space while fostering a harmonious environment and enabling multilateral perspectives through carefully controlled connection points and thoughtfully designed boundaries.
Boundary – The porous wall, courtyard, front window, and annex express the house’s intended sense of varying boundaries. The porous wall protects the living room and outdoor activity areas from external views and direct sunlight while lighting the dark street at night.
The northeast residual space, created to ensure sunshine due north, features bamboo plants and front windows to offer an unexpected spatial experience. The courtyard, penetrating the residential and rental spaces, connects the ground and the sky.
The residential and rental spaces use this courtyard to control daylight and ventilation. The courtyard also reflects the view of rain and snow to infuse the atmosphere of nature into the adjoining spaces. The subtle sounds and dim silhouettes delivered through the courtyard stimulate the senses of residents and remind the spatial depth without causing discomfort. The family separated the annex on the third floor from the internal space to support the father’s uninterrupted contemplation.
Level – The rear side of the site is 0.5 meters lower than the front road, while the pedestrian road on the right side is 0.8 meters higher. The designers created the first-floor rental space on two levels to respond to the height difference between the front and rear of the site. Such a structure emphasizes the connection with the rear side’s bamboo forest, while the residential space’s entrance on the right side separates each area.
The residential space achieves a sense of openness and centrality through a 1.5-story-high living room on the second floor. The elevated rooftop deck above the living room offers leisurely views of Mudeungsan Mountain. It is set at a height distinct from the everyday living areas. The designers elevated the empty frame once again on the third-floor rooftop. This was to maintain the exterior design when they install solar panels in the future.
The brickwork stands out on the exterior. The designers intended it to create a sequential landscape connecting the left side of the site to the right. Here, a childcare facility is planned. The bricks express the recognizability of the entrance. It emphasises contrasts through emptiness, and protrudes in staggered patterns to show the overall formative aesthetic.
It remains uncertain whether the brick design, originating from the red window frames of the adjacent building on the left, will continue across the undeveloped site on the right. Nevertheless, people consider this attempt meaningful because they expect the childcare facility to remain small in scale.
The architects made the first floor’s front commercial space of hardwood. It fades under natural light, allowing the passage of time to be inscribed on the surface. They finished the rest of the commercial-residential building with white, stain-resistant external insulation. It adds a bright and lively atmosphere to the shaded mountain village, where the sun sets early.
Fact File
Designed by: PLAN Architects office
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: White Brick House
Location: Gwangju, South Korea
Year Built: 2022
Project Size: 4574.66 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: Lim Tae hyung
Design Team: Lim Tae hyung, Yun Bitna, Son Sangyeon & Jo Yewon
Photograph Courtesy: Yoon Joon-hwan
Site Manager, Contractor: DM Construction
Source: Archdaily
Firm’s Website Link: PLAN Architects office
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