studio_GAON conceives house in sang-an as a camping ground

studio_GAON conceives house in sang-an as a camping ground
photo © hyosook chin
all images courtesy of studio_GAON

upon approaching each design brief, architects must embrace and resolve the multiple constraints presented by different factors. they must deal with the topographical characteristics of the site, the necessities of the program, and the needs of the client. for studio_GAON, the ‘house in sang-an’ was located deep within the terrain of a mountain in south korea, at an altitude of 600 meters.

the residence was strategically selected by the clients
photo © hyosook chin

the site in located at an altitude of 600 meters
photo © hyosook chin

this location was strategically selected by the occupants, as they liked to enjoy outdoor activities with their three dogs. thus, the residence was envisioned as a camping ground where they could eat food together, relax under the shade in a hammock, and observe the organic environment that surrounds them.

the kitchen captures expansive views of the terrain
photo © hyosook chin

the dining table marks the center of the space
photo © hyosook chin

branching off of this lifestyle, the plan appears in the shape of the letter T. this gesture has allowed the kitchen to hierarchically place itself off of one of the protruding pieces, with an ample amount of room for the residents to gather. ‘usually we design the rooms first, and the living room and kitchen after, but we started from the kitchen in this house,’ note the architects. the heart of function is distinguished by a large island with a sink and a dining table to highlight the processes of preparing meals. the restroom, warehouse, and boiler room are arranged towards the back of the dwelling, resulting in a reduced noise level and control of privacy. considering circulation, from the vestibule, visitors are led towards the the laundry room and bathroom.

theater interior
photo © hyosook chin

the living room and bedroom and naturally linked
photo © hyosook chin

the staircase also provides room for storage and seating
photo © hyosook chin

the fenestration operates in relation to the landscape
photo © hyosook chin

the rest of the interior became a single space without doors. the living room and bedroom are naturally linked by half-floor stairs. the adjacent stands serve as storages as well as a small theater to watch movies that can be projected onto the wall. each program is separated by a different elevation and height. ‘accordingly, two rooftops were formed, one on the top of the kitchen and the other above living room. One is the roof garden for the wife, and the other is a space facing west to watch the sunset and meditate.’

view from one of the rooftop gardens
photo © hyosook chin

the kitchen from outside
photo © hyosook chin

windows were built on each side
photo © hyosook chin

in order to let views into the house, windows were built on each side that correspond to the context. flowerpots and ornaments were placed along the horizontally-oriented east window, and communicated with the neighbor through the low wooden bench connected to the south window. meanwhile, the west faces the yard and expansive landscaping.

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project info:

architect: hyoungnam lim and eunjoo roh of studio_GAON
project team: minjung choi, sangwoo yi, seongwon son, sungpil lee, hanmoe lee, joowon moon
photographs: hyosook chin
translation: joowon moon
location: sangan-li, anheung-myeon, hoengsung-gun, gangwon-do
use: house
site area: 1,981㎡
building area: 55.20㎡
gross floor area: 96.91㎡
building scope: 2F
building-to-land ratio: 8.9%
floor area ratio: 15.63%
structure: reinforced concrete construction
finish: dressed brick, THK24 thermopane
contractor: atelier architecture
supervision: studio_GAON
design period: 2012.6.20 – 2013.7.30.
construction period: 2013.8.1 – 2013.11.30.

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