A Forward-Thinking South Korean House By A Round Architects

‘Seongsan-dong Mix-use’ is an eye-catching white house designed by A Round Architects. The four-storey residential home is located in Seongsan-dong, in the Mapo-gu district of South Korea’s bustling capital city, Seoul.

The project was created with regard to the small, narrow surrounding streets and neighboring houses, which offer limited space and privacy. In the space where one would come to expect a fence or gate, the architects instead incorporated a long, moveable wall made from wooden panels that faces out to the narrow alley, providing a flexible solution to a lack of space. Inside on the second floor, there are three different levels of space: the kitchen is located at the lower point, then two stairs higher is the dining area and sitting room, and a flight of stairs higher again is the living room. The idea of having multiple spaces on the same floor came about with consideration to the children living in the house. According to the architects, it was important to have semi-differentiated levels so that there are more areas for the inhabitants to enjoy. The house itself is captivating with it’s white facade and distinct design, which pushes the boundaries for South Korean architecture. “We consider material presence, structural logic, composition, resonance, spatiality, and function” explain the architects of their work. “We believe that carefully contemplated architecture can move people’s heart. We devote in(sic) making ceaseless effort to create objects [and] architecture for humans; for surroundings”.