Welcome to our gallery featuring the dazzling Kyeong Dok Jai home by IROJE KHM Architects.

Within a relatively small footprint, the designers wanted to maximize the incredible mixture of garden and modern structure.

The home’s integration of natural and manmade structures creates a startling visual presence that’s unmistakably unique.

You’ll first notice that the entire front facade is obscured by aluminum piping, screening out the hot summer sunlight and noise from the street, and creating a security barrier for would-be criminals.

The unique “floating” shape of the structure is defined by the dynamic curve of this aluminum exterior, hanging above a unique perforated concrete fence that mimics the look for a traditional stone fence.

The floor plan of the home was thought out with deference to the idea of strolling through the interior and exterior of the house, visually and spatially connecting it in a continuous flow. The organic curves of the exterior give way to geometric connections inside.

At the center of the home is a concert hall-like singular complex space that ties together many disparate pieces of the home, including living, dining, and study rooms, a bar with piano and drum stage, and the kids’ bedrooms. It’s mean to foster a connection between all members of the family, holding a common space to interact.

The curved exterior piping plays a visual role in the interior, producing a collage-like effect across the various elements within the home. In addition, it helps diffuse and emphasize the various garden elements throughout the structure.

The entire home is a fundamentally refreshing experience both inside and out, with a progressive design sense that leans toward modern elements as much as traditional notions of family and connectivity.

Architect: HyoMan Kim – IROJE KHM Architects
Design team: Kyung Jin-Jung, SeungHee-Song, Su Kyung-Jang
Photographer: Jong Oh Kim

From the street level, we see a crown of aluminum piping surrounding and obscuring the home structure itself, wrapped on the bottom by an organically perforated concrete wall. The entrances are nearly hidden.

Backing into a park across the street, we can appreciate how the curvy metallic elements rise from the landscape in an organic way, the mesh screening out any direct view of the home’s interior.

Here’s a view from in between the home and the exterior piping, revealing the open air buffer between these elements.

Now fully within the exterior shell, we can see the radically open structure of the home. In the foreground, a glass balustrade separates the sheltered patio space from one of several gardens dotted throughout the structure.

The multiple layers of exterior flooring allow for a variety of interacting spaces, leading into the home at varying points above and below. At left we see another small container garden framed by triangular wood bench seats.

Close to the triangular bench space, we see more garden on the tier above, as well as the massive windows that allow so much light into the home. The aluminum piping allows for much needed privacy here.

From up here, we can see yet another comfortable, natural wood filled sheltered outdoor space on a level floating above the entryway at left. These interconnected patio areas are a reflection of the interior layout.

This particular space holds a pair of uniquely shaped rattan chairs and a matching ottoman on top of a raised hardwood platform. The surrounding pillars reflect the exterior piping.

Viewed across the expanse of the larger upper level garden, we see the pockets of nature throughout this area, meshing perfectly with the angular structure of the home. Strategically deployed lighting emphasizes the organic components.

Finally, here’s a wide shot of both the exterior piping and the massive windows that allow for spectacular views of and from the interior. The central living space can be seen, with a sliding glass door at center for direct garden access.

The home features this sprawling lower level, sunk into the earth and wrapped in concrete tiles. This space contains a large entertainment area and partial kitchen amenities.

Now we move inside the home itself, planted at the base of the large open central structure. Here we see stairs leading to the various levels, with the miniature stages for percussion and piano lining the steps at center.

At the lowest level, we see the kitchen, defined by a massive white angular island with built-in dining table. The structure above contains home office spaces, seen at left.

Rich hardwood flooring throughout acts as a counterpoint to the sharply modern and cool look of the concrete and steel elements. The kitchen boasts stainless steel appliances and matte cabinetry for a high contrast look.

Next to the kitchen is a cozy living room area, with colorfully mismatched sofa and armchair lit by a tall arched floor lamp. The cascade of windows provides street views partially obscured by the piping.

Moving up to the second level, we see another angular white structure – this time a bar for dining or study time, with windows overlooking the entry patio area. At left is the next tier with home office space.

Viewed from this next level, we can appreciate the geometric angles of the ceiling design here, perfectly complementing the angular, multi-tiered look of the floor plan.

Here we see the central interior space framed by one of the large windows, with a view over multiple layers of flooring and out through an upper level patio above.

Looking down from the top level, we get a seamless view down to the lowest parts of the sheltered patio area. From here, we can grasp the entire picture of the multifaceted design.

In the gap between the private bedroom areas at right and the central connective space at left, we see the garden rising up, with the gently curved aluminum piping shell framing the landscape.

The rooftop features more container gardens, as seen across the open void between parts of the home structure. A bridge-like staircase connects the private bedroom area to the main body of the house.

Pulling back, we reveal even more accessible rooftop space, as well as a broad view of the interior, sheltered patio space, and surrounding aluminum pipe shell.