#RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS
studio_GAON breathes life into small seoul alleyway with blooming house
down a winding alley in the old district of seoul, korea, sat a dilapidated home with a small garden.
a man came upon the dwelling while walking one day, and after stopping to appreciate it, decided that he would like to own it. though the plot was merely 66m2, and located on a narrow, forgettable alley, it had the potential to be great.
the owner contacted hyoungnam lim and eunjoo roh of architecture office studio_GAON, with the intent to totally overhaul the structure. however, after a series of unexpected circumstances arose, it became clear that renovation was not possible. the team went back to the drawing board, this time with an even tougher challenge: current korean construction laws, which limits building area to less than 23m2 (approx. 250ft2) per floor, and allows only two levels.
yet somehow, a design was created within total legal limit. the final plan, while very small, manages to adequately provide all necessary functions. the ground floor includes the living room, kitchen, and utilities; the second contains the bedroom, bathroom, and full-height bookcase; and a third, ‘attic’ space features a ‘numaru’ balcony and empty area for use in the future.
to give a bit of variety to the tall, narrow mass studio_GAON fastened a tapered steel bar to the exterior wall. the piece ends beneath a circular cathedral window near the roofline, and creates dynamic shadows throughout the day.
also outside, is a reinvigorated garden. studio_GAON planted several shade plants like bracken and buckler fern, as well as around 50 kinds of wild flowers. an existing persimmon tree shares the small space, whose colors and fruit-bearing mark the seasons. like a flower seed landing and growing spontaneously, the ‘blooming house’ breathes fresh life and beauty into the surroundings.
