Pub. 1 2013 Directory

28 THE MONTANA ARCHITECT | 2013 | www.aia-mt.org Honor Award T he L-Shaped House is placed in an industrially banal urban environment. It’s intended solace can be found in an architecture that is stern and solemn when placed in a chaotic, poorly defined milieu. Unyielding in its approach, this architecture can provide a sense of place, enabling the appreciation of the natural. L-Shape House is located in a small valley an hour from Seoul. It was built for a professional couple, who visit on weekends and will eventually move to the house. To the west of the site is a recently developed industrial area, characterized by large roads and trucks. Towards the east lies a beautiful mountain forest, a striking scene when the morning sun breaks through the forest. It is these site traits that define the shape of the house which invites the natural and rejects the urban. The L shape therefore becomes a practical way to create private exterior space open toward the vistas, while protecting itself from the noise of the road. This is expressed in the architectural language by straight rigid lines presented towards the roadside with solid rectangular gabion walls. Organic lines of the elevation facing the landscape create a sense of place and scale. Early morning light is allowed to enter the sleeping areas of the house as the couple rise early. In the summer, when the house is occupied the most, the entire house is naturally cross ventilated to keep interior temperatures low and breezy in the thick summer humidity. The main living space is partitioned with a movable wall system allowing multiple configurations. Adjacent is the master bedroom with a deep covered deck to the south, this shaded space functions as an intermediate usable area with an accordion door system. When the couple is away the house may be completely sealed by closing the terrace accordion doors. The large southern overhang permits sun into the living space only in mid winter months. In mid summer when the sun angle is much higher the overhang overs ample shade. The southeastern courtyard which results from the building’s L shape is filled with local white basalt stone which will reflect light up into the living space. This indirect light source is very pleasant for casual living spaces. L-Shaped House Project Location: Gyeonggi-do, Korea Lead Architect: Byoung Soo Cho, AIA Architecture Team: Seok Kyeong Hong Firm: BCHO Architects & Associates 55-7, Sil Bldg 3F Banpo-4dong Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea kangs081@gmail.com