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
For Similar Projects>>> 3BHK Gandhinagar Home Designed With Simplicity And Harmony
Conceived as a dialogue between architecture and landscape in Alibag, CASAVIVA transforms the house into a sequence of spaces where nature becomes an integral part of everyday life. This Home In Alibag Is Conceived As A Dialogue Between Architecture & Landscape | SHROFFLEoN Design Brief Designed for a family seeking a calm and timeless residence, […]
Some homes begin with a drawing, and The Saffron Verandah began with an orchard. In the mango-growing landscapes of Shoolagiri, a quiet hamlet in northern Tamil Nadu, the land has settled into its own rhythm over generations. Rows of mature mango trees stretch across nearly three-quarters of an acre, their broad canopies tempering the southern […]
The house is conceived as a metaphor for the valley it inhabits. The design borrows the language of a bustling street skyline, stretching the home along a corner site so it frames the valley and its lake. Three linear bays, offset vertically and linked by corridors, open the plan to filtered western light and cross […]
The site is located in Ahilyanagar town of Maharashtra, with a design brief of 7,000 sq feet, while the house had to be designed for the hot and dry climate, which responds carefully to extreme temperatures, intense sunlight, and low humidity. The design focuses on reducing heat gain, improving natural ventilation, and creating comfortable indoor spaces with […]
“Pravah” — A House That Breathes is envisioned as the main concept of this home revolves around a fluid, light-filled home where architecture becomes a continuous experience of movement, air, and connection. Located in Pal Gamtal, Surat, the project is a residential redevelopment on a 1,850 sq.ft. plot within a dense urban fabric. The site, […]
Editor’s Note: There’s a quiet clarity in homes that are shaped by real, everyday needs. Alcove feels like a thoughtful response to just that, balancing openness with comfort in a setting rooted in tradition. Moving away from a dense, older home, this residence embraces light, air, and simplicity while still holding on to its Kerala […]
Timeless architectural features, such as courtyards, are always associated with bringing the naturally public forms to the world’s heart, building the most peaceful, secluded outdoor areas. These outdoor spaces maximize the living experience with their private space feature, which gives one the option for leisurely relaxation, recreation, or gardening. Furthermore, it has also been a […]
Architecture font choices go beyond style—they shape how your work is perceived. From portfolios to presentations, the right architecture font instantly communicates clarity, precision, and personality. As architects, we design not just with space but with every detail, including typography. Selecting a strong architecture font shows your commitment to visual storytelling and design consistency. In […]
The Indian farmhouse accommodation goes on to capitalize on a mature evolutionary synthesis of ancestral aesthetics and contemporary features. With this, the outside and the inside of farmhouses became places of comfort with nature. In this blog, we delve into 15 incredible farmhouse designs that entail a harmonious blending. While they exhibit different spaces in […]
Plants for home garden, apart from making houses look more beautiful and inviting, add health and calmness to them. Having any kind of indoor plant, a herb plant or a flowering plant adds some value to your decor and the quality of the space. Always choose plants that will flourish in your space and climate. […]