architecture of novel differentiation completes 'louverwall'

in paju, a city in south korea’s gyeonggi province, AND (architecture of novel differentiation) has completed a café/residence clad with aluminum louvers. the building was designed for a couple who manage the ground floor music-themed café and live at the structure’s upper storeys. the brief for ‘louverwall’ called for a vertical, transparent, and dynamic ground level that welcomed passersby.

the scheme is located in paju, a city in south korea’s gyeonggi province
all images by shinkyungsub

as the plot is surrounded by other buildings on three sides, AND’s main challenge was to develop a fourth façade that was both energy efficient and transparent, filtering soft daylight. ‘we decided to limit the direct light of the west and bring in the light from the south,’ explain the architects. a south-facing clerestory window has developed, while internally two massive curved walls bring natural daylight deep into the floorplate throughout the year.

the building was designed for a couple who manage a café at ground level

the façade is combined with louvers that are designed to block out the summer sun. the design of the aluminum louvers, which cover the entirety of the curtainwall, is the result of an algorithm that finds the best performing solution for the given surface. PLDS (parametric louver design system) finds the optimized set of formal parameters for the glazed surface, taking into account the angle of rotation, spacing, projection length, and inclination.

the main challenge was to develop a façade that was both transparent and energy efficient

however, the louvers do not just block direct sunlight. they also allow winter sun to pass through, ensuring that the curtain wall does not create extra heating and cooling loads. the façade casts a pattern across interior surfaces, tracking the sun’s movement across the sky and indicating climatic conditions. as one ascends the stairs leading to the living quarters above, a rhythmic play of light and shade occurs, activating the entirety of the space.

the façade is combined with louvers that are designed to block out the summer sun