By: stpmj
Location: KyungGi, Yongin, Kwanggyo, Korea
Program: Multi-Family Residential
Site Area: 249.3 sm
Floor Area: 124.4 sm
Gross Area: 205.5 sm
Structure & Finish: Reinforced Concrete Foundation Wall (Basement) + Wood Framing / Bricks + Blocks
Structural Engineering: Duhang Engineering
Status: Completed in Feb. 2017
Construction: ON Architecture
Client: Private
Photograph: Song Yousub

This is a look at the north-east exterior of the building from across the street during daytime.

This is a look at the north-east exterior of the building from across the street during nighttime.

This is a look at the north-west exterior of the building from across the street during daytime.

This is a look at the south-west exterior of the building from across the street during daytime.

This is a look at the south exterior of the building from across the street during daytime.

This is a look at the south exterior of the building from across the street during nighttime.

This is a look at the south-east exterior of the building from across the street during daytime.

This is a look at the south-east exterior of the building from across the street during nighttime.

This is a close look at the house exterior showcasing the brick detail of the exterior walls.

This is a close look at the south elevation of the house with two distinct brick details to its exterior walls.

This is a close inspection of the exterior wall showcasing the brick composition details.

This is a close look at the terrace glass door that leads from the interior hallway with bright walls and hardwood flooring.

This is a corridor within the house that leads to the glass door of the terrace.

This is another angle of the indoor corridor that shows the staircase with light wooden steps.

This is a view of the spacious living room with light hardwood flooring adorned with a colorful patterned area rug.

This is a view of the kitchen and its light wooden cabinetry and L-shaped peninsula topped with black countertops to match the area rug.

This is a look at the dining area from the vantage of the indoor balcony showcasing the dark dining set and windows that maximize the vertical wall.

This is a look at the corridor that leads from the second-floor landing with consistent white walls and white doors.

This is the library of the house with a alrge wooden built-in bookshelf lining the wall with cabinets on the far side matching the tone of the light hardwood flooring.

This is the other side of the library with a long and narrow area with bookshelves and cabinets on one side and a study area on the far side.

This is the kids room with a large bed across from the large wooden built-in structure that houses cabinets and a desk at the corner.

This is a look down the stairs that leads to the attic. this staircase is flanked with tall white walls on both sides.

This is a view of the attic shoecasing the built-in bookshelves that makes the most out of the vertical space of the area.

The attic also has a large home office that is good for two people with two desk topped with a white cathedral ceiling.

This is an aerial view of the house showcasing its location within the neighborhood.

This is an illustrative representation of the site plan for the house.

This is an illustrative representation of the first level floor plan.

This is an illustrative representation of the second level floor plan.

This is an illustrative representation of the attic level floor plan.

This is an illustrative representation of the section A-A of the house..

This is an illustrative representation of the section B-B of the house..

This is an illustrative representation of the section C-C of the house..

This is an illustrative representation of the section D-D of the house..

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

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

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

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

This is an illustrative representation of the unfolded elevations of the house.

This is an illustrative representation of the massing strategy for the house.

This is an illustrative representation of the exploding axonometric for the house.

The Masonry, a multi-family house in Korea, seeks a playful game of “scale” in two aspects, the building itself and bricks in its façade. The site sits at the corner, facing its long-north and short-east sides to the roads. Due to the town planning, the entrance and the long side of the house need to be facing South. It makes a contradictory condition of pitched roof direction and the main face of the house.

Referring to Robert Venturi’s House the gable is placed along with a long side of the site towards the South. Intentionally treating the gable in opposite position against typical pitched roof shape for structural and economic efficiency the Masonry tricks its scale until visitors enter the house.

We were asked to design a house for two families but the house would avoid the appearance of two townhouses. Diagonally stacked two kinds of bricks (100mm x 200mm) and cement blocks (200mm x 400mm) creates a singular masonry façade but also nuanced two units of a program in a single mass.

The house composed of two families bisected East and West. The stairs run like a spine throughout two units. The stairs from the first floor to the attic and connects the living room, kitchen, libraries, rooms, bathrooms, terraces, and attic studio. This climbing up provides dynamic spatial experiences and visual connections through landing and ceiling changes.

Beyond the connection and function of the stairs, this circulation spine becomes a main structural core in the house. Double height ceiling spaces, terraces on the second floor, and attic allow natural lighting and ventilation inside keeping controls heat and humidity through four seasons.