Architects: stpmj
Area: 175 m²
Year: 2018
Photographs: Bae Jihun
Manufacturers: American Standard, Eagon, Ewha brick, INOUTIC, gonggan

This is a close look at the exteriors of the house with red brick walls and arched windows.

This view of the house showcases more of the tall and thin arched windows that give the house a unique look.

Other than the unique windows, the house also has a unique shape that makes it stand out against the conventional buildings around it.

This side of the house has arched windows but with a different look giving it a more shady type of window that lets in less natural lighting.

This side of the house showcases more of the unique shape of the red brick building with a cavernous area to make place for parking.

Upon entry of the main door, you are welcomed by this foyer and storage area with shelves and cabinets as well as a book shelf on the side.

This is a view of the great room that houses the living room and the kitchen that has a kitchen island with an attached wooden table at the edge.

The living room has a sectional gray sofa across from the wall-mounted TV in the middle of two arched windows.

This is a hallway with hardwood flooring complemented by the flanking white walls and wooden shelves.

This is a close look at the wooden steps of the house staircase that extends to a cozy alcove reading nook with a bookshelf underneath.

This is a look up the staircase showcasing the bright white walls above the stairs as well as the indoor balcony.

The bathroom is by the staircase with a wooden cabinetry to its vanity across from the glass door of the shower area.

This is the terrace on the fourth floor of the house with brick walls and wrought iron railings on the edges.

This is a close look at the red brick walls and gravel of the house exterior giving it a layered look.

This bedroom has a wooden platform bed on the far side by the windows. This is complemented by the surrounding bright beige walls and ceiling.

This is a close look at the East entrance of the house with a glass door and curved red brick walls.

By the East entrance of the house is the south parking with the design of the house making way for a parking slot.

This is a nighttime view of the South East elevation of the house showcasing the warm glow of the windows.

This is a bird's eye view of the building. Here you can see the balcony on the back with its wrought iron railings.

This is an illustrated view of the first level floor plan.

This is an illustrated view of the second level floor plan.

This is an illustrated view of the third level floor plan.

This is an illustrated view of the fourth level floor plan.

This is an illustrated view of the fifth level floor plan.

This is the illustrated view of the section one cross section of the house showcasing the different areas and floors of the house.

This is the illustrated view of the section two cross section of the house showcasing the different areas and floors of the house.

This is the illustrated view of the section three cross section of the house showcasing the different areas and floors of the house.

This is a map view of the site plan showing the house's area in the neighborhood.

This is a illustrative diagram of the walls of the house.

This is a cross-section diagram of the house illustration featuring the various sections of the house.

This is another illustrative diagram of the house showcasing its unique shape.

This is an illustrative representation of the east elevation of the house.

This is an illustrative representation of the north elevation of the house.

This is an illustrative representation of the section four cross section of the house.

This is an illustrative representation of the south elevation of the house.

This is an illustrative representation of the west elevation of the house.

‘Five story house’ is the vertically stacked result of a single-family house on a small site in a highly dense city, Seoul, Korea. In less than 100 m² property area with required setbacks and parking regulation, this tall and skinny house creates ‘vertical living’ with different floor zonings. In Korea where real estate is one of the most effective investment tools, purchasing a flat is the common way to increase one’s assets.

Living in a flat with a living room, kitchen, dining, and bedrooms on a single floor, is a typical residential environment in Seoul. Considering the economic value of flats through redevelopment and the familiarity of living infrastructure, a vertically stacked house with a small floor area is a provocative residential type in this culture.

The additional cost based on complicated construction on small site, increased area of interior & exterior envelop and neighbors’ complaints within the dense urban fabric are downsides of the developing this type of vertical house. Nonetheless, recently this vertical house is at the fore among the people who had grown up at the flats in the 80s/ 90s and look for their living values in diverse spatial qualities which cannot be achieved from the flats.

The project proposes to collect vertical lives in a single-family house beyond the just investment value. The house is for five family members; husband, wife, and three kids. It has a studio for husband’s hobby, furniture making, and a multi-play room for 10, 8, and 6 years-old girls. Within the maximized volume formed by the regulations of setbacks and the parking, required programs are laid out in vertical zonings.

The multi-room for three girls is located on the first floor with the expanded north deck for them to spend time together between school and after-school activities. The furniture-making studio is placed at the south street side, adjacent to parking so that makes the husband easy to frequent in & out and commutes. The space for family gatherings such as the living room, kitchen, and dining is on the second floor.

A master bedroom and the youngest girl’s room are on the third floor with a mini library/ closet. The oldest girl’s room is on the fifth floor with a great view, and the fourth floor works as a second gathering space with a terrace, a bedroom, and a bathroom. Instead of big and wide openings for view, skinny windows are placed for both lighting and privacy from the adjacent buildings. The brick screen applied on most of the openings except South.

The stepped mass over 9 meters by the daylight setback regulation and the cantilever over the parking becomes a typical building shape in the residential zoning area in this city. The five-story house seeks small tweaks by ‘arcing’ on major elements that define the building. The ‘arc’ from the cantilever at the parking, the sloped wall at the 4th floor expanded to an entry, and the openings on elevations, reveal its identity of the vertical single-family house and express its unique appearance.