Welcome to our gallery focusing on the incredibly innovative Hwa Hun project by IROJE KHM Architects.

The name of this house in Korean, Hwa Hun, means “Blooming House,” and one look at the rooftop shows us why.

Situated in the heart of Seoul near the urban Bukhansan mountain, the home had one major requirement from the owner: “living in nature.” The design called for an ultra-modern space that interlocked perfectly with natural elements.

The irregular landscape of the site, with a steeply sloped topography, made for an interesting architectural challenge. The structure of the home is uniquely sculpted in a polyhedron shape to maximize land usage.

This naturally sympathetic design language extended to the entire look of the project, juxtaposing angular futuristic shapes with lush greenery throughout. The sparkling minimalism of the interior is matched by a detailed sense of texture and tone.

In an effort to maximize the available size for gardening, nearly every horizontal part of the exterior is covered with greenery. There are a number of levels, including front, courtyard, stairs, waterfall, rooftop, and even a selection of vertical gardens.

The overarching style of the home sets these rich natural elements against stark modern spaces with clean lines and sharp edges. This makes for a unique expression of modern design, absorbing and blooming with life itself.

In fact, excepting the street side facade, every “green” part of the structure is filled with a variety of fruit trees. The gardens aren’t just there for appearance; they’re both functional and gorgeous.

Broad expanses of glass, white walls, and the subtle use of stainless steel conspire to open up the interior with a bright sense of minimalism that doesn’t draw attention to itself. The deeply modern home may feel richly futuristic, but never to the detriment of the natural elements.

We are frankly impressed with this unique home and hope that you enjoy reading all about it while you browse our gallery!

Architect : HyoMan Kim – IROJE KHM Architects
Design team : KyungJin-Jung, SeungHee-Song, SuKyung-Jang, JiYeon-Kim
Location : Pyeongchang-dong, Jongro-gu, Seoul, Korea
Structure : Concrete rahmen
Exterior finishing : Aluminum sheet, Exposed concrete
Interior finishing : Lacquer, Exposed concrete
Photographer : Sergio Pirrone

With an overhead view, we can fully grasp the extent to which the home is integrated with its rooftop garden. The grasses, plants, and fruit trees absolutely fill all horizontal exterior spaces.

Glancing across the intricately angled rooftop toward the surrounding mountains, we can see how the shape of the home closely mirrors the landscape. The stark contrast of its sleek white panels and living roof makes for a striking appearance.

Down at street level, we see how the sides of the home mostly obscure the interior from public view. This privacy is enhanced by a few small triangular windows, leaving the larger expanses of glass to view the surrounding mountains.

The front entrance sets a glass doorway into another triangular opening in the concrete structure. Within the doors we can see stairs leading up to the first level of garden.

Leading up from the ground floor, even the entry stairs are coated in moss and dotted with trees. The metal stairs share this green space with a snaking line of lighting encasements, holding upward facing bulbs.

Moving onto the rooftop, we get a close look at the expansive interlocking garden, full of fruit trees. The angular shapes of the home surrounding this area spike it with high contrast and detail.

This mid-level tier of the living roof makes for a perfect relaxation space. There’s shade, fruit trees, and a clear look into the house from an array of triangular windows.

Here’s another level to the living roof, a spectacular inner courtyard with a water feature, shading, and a built-in picnic area. Lush greenery mixes with clean concrete lines beneath an expanse of shaded glass.

The interior of the home sparkles with stainless steel and glass throughout. The interconnected levels of the home are visible, courtesy of the open design.

The massive living room overlooks the surrounding city with a vast set of windows and sliding glass panels. The stark minimalism of the style is shot through with subtle moments of color here, courtesy of the contemporary furniture.

In addition to the soft red sectional and white walls, a novel textural element enters this space in the form of smoked glass coffee tables. Overhead, an interconnected set of lighting mimics the look of tree branches.

Moving further into the home, we see a bespoke home office at right, with built-in white desk and bright red chairs for contrast. Both rooms feature windows that look into the central garden space.

The kitchen is an immaculate white space, with sleek countertops and a lengthy island that turns into a dining table. Even the cabinetry and island reflect the angular, polygonal shape of the home itself.

Color makes very few but very effective appearances within the minimalist interior, including the set of chairs here. With windows on all sides, the kitchen is brightly sunlit throughout the day.

Within this glass-wrapped bedroom, we see another subtle burst of color with tree-patterned bedding. Another sliding door here gives direct access to the rooftop garden.

The bathroom sports more intricately shaped white framing elements, as well as a walk-in shower with rainfall head.

In the primary bedroom en suite, we can see this extraordinary soaking tub at center, with a floor mounted faucet and backsplash glass for keeping the floors dry.

As we see one of the homeowners enjoying the lush greenery in her rooftop garden, the interlocking expanses of glass and sleek white space give way to the landscape beyond.