The two-story house facing the Han River belongs to a young couple with two kids. The first floor has common space for the family with large glass doors to try and connect with the outdoors. The second floor is for bedrooms and offers privacy.
The architect has tried to provide as much green space as possible by placing plants around the house.
To limit heat radiation and the urban effect inside, the architect came up with three solutions. One was using greenery to create mini gardens on the wall and roof. The second was to use louvers to block sunshine. The third was to catch breezes by building windows and doors in the east and the south of the house. All were meant to limit the effects of the weather and reduce energy consumption.
But the highlight of the house is the roof. The architect has turned the roof into a garden that takes inspiration from the terraced rice fields in the northwest.
The architect installed an automatic watering and rainfall harvesting system that collects water and stores it in an underground tank for use.
Growing plants on the roof help the house’s structural integrity by reducing heat radiation, which keeps the concrete at a stable temperature and prevents cracking, the architect said.
The living room, kitchen and dining room on the first floor are open. All the rooms lead to a garden through sliding glass doors. The glass allows in natural light and saves power.
The house is designed in a modern style and focuses on the natural elements. The interior has neutral colors since natural light is the main priority.
The winding stair that leads to the second floor is a great touch to the interior space. It also help save space.
A round glass frame stretches between the floor and ceiling on the second floor, continuing the theme of spaciousness and connectedness.
The second floor has two bedrooms and a room for an altar, and all lead to a garden through big glass doors. The architect also added a louver to keep out sunshine if needed but ensure the flow of air.
