studio_GAON frames mountainous korean landscape through contemporary wooden hanok

‘House of Serenity’ stands lightweight In Yangsan’s hillside

Seoul-based architectural firm studio_GAON designs a modern, lightweight wooden residence reminiscent of the Korean traditional ‘Hanok’ houses. Located in Yangsan, South Korea, the structure sits lightly on the hillside facing the mountainous landscape and stands close to the historic temple of ‘Tongdosa’, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, while the site connects directly with the monument through a short path. The long configuration of the house frames the scenery without interfering with the views blending with the surrounding nature in every direction. Two large gable roofs top the residence protecting it from the changing weather conditions of the area.

Following a topography-oriented design approach, the team attends to the relationship between built space and nature providing for a climate with four distinct seasons and an annual temperature difference of more than 50 degrees. The plan envelops gardens and open yards, merging its wooden framework into the rich clusters of adjacent pine trees.

all images by Youngchae Park

elongated wooden framework blends with the surroundings

Drawing from the traditional architecture of ‘Hanok’ houses, the structure develops an elongated wooden framework. The interior arranges a wide high-ceiling kitchen and living area, while the long thin configuration assembles all rooms facing south, a formal feature of private Korean residences. On the second elevated level, the design team forms a ‘maru’ space applying wooden planks and floor joists as the main skeleton extending the front and back of the structure to shape an indoor and outdoor zone. The boundary between the living area and the terrace faces the mountainous landscape forming a passage in which views of the surrounding nature cross. The construction exposes the rafters under the roof system developing a thin and long wooden structure that gives off a sharp appearance differentiating from the traditional rounded beams. 

the residence develops a long thin configuration, common in Korean architecture

the plan envelops in gardens and open yards merging its wooden framework into the rich greenery

the boundary between the living area and the terrace faces the mountainous landscape

the rafters exposed under the roof form a thin and long lightweight wood structure

the extended front and back terrace resembles the Korean ‘maru’ space

the interior is accentuated with thick and hard wooden columns, appearing as a heavy wooden structure

the residence arranges a wide high-ceiling kitchen and living room

studio_GAON applies wooden planks and floor joists as the main skeleton

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the architecture stands as a passage through which the landscapes cross

the site is surrounded by mountains and clusters of pine trees

the house features traditional 'Hanok' elements in contemporary design

project info:

name: House of Serenity
designer: studio_GAON | @studio_gaon

lead architects: Hyoungnam Lim, Eunjoo Roh

design team: Sungpil Lee, Seongwon Son, Joowon Moon, Laeyeon Kim, Minwoo Lee

location: Jisan-ri, Habuk-myeon, Yangsan-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea

photography: Youngchae Park

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom