This building is a rental multi-family residential complex commonly found across Seoul’s neighborhoods. However, our intention was to give it a unique and distinct appearance. Due to strict residential regulations, especially the maximum floor area ratio for income-generating rental properties, making fundamental changes was challenging.
The elevated apartment features a virtual wall that significantly differentiates its appearance from typical multi-unit residences, which usually adhere to diagonal setback restrictions for sunlight and privacy control.
The supporting structure mainly consists of two virtual walls, a roof, and a base. The roof plan takes the form of an irregular quadrilateral, designed to meet two diagonal restrictions related to sunlight exposure and street width.
Outdoor terraces, shaped by these diagonal setback rules, serve as private spaces enclosed within the virtual wall frame. This design not only reinforces the residents’ territorial privacy but also elevates the building’s facade height through the virtual walls.
At the base, the virtual wall acts as a structural support that enhances both the visual and structural stability of the garage, which is supported by overhead columns.
The slender columns of the elevated garage are vulnerable to lateral forces, but the virtual wall incorporated into the facade design has been optimized to resist such stresses.
Similar to the facade support structure of Chicago’s John Hancock Center, this structural element plays a crucial role in this building’s facade design.
The facade’s design integrates the base support structure and the sloping roof surface, creating architectural harmony throughout the building.
Local regulations mandate the use of non-combustible exterior materials such as stone. However, due to budget constraints and the need to accommodate sharp angles, the facade is finished with exposed European-style concrete.
This straightforward building form, shaped by setback regulations, is further reinforced by the distinct use of exposed concrete, emphasizing its clean and modern aesthetic.
Interior Spaces
Project Drawings
▲ Plan View
▲ Elevation View
▲ Section View
▲ Analysis Chart
Project Information
Project Type: Apartment
Location: Yangcheon-gu, South Korea
Architectural Design: Atelier Jun
Area: 646.0 m²
Project Year: 2015
Photographer: Namgoong Sun
Manufacturers: American Standard, ThyssenKrupp, Inoblock
Lead Architect: JunSang You
Engineer: Laim, CheongHyo
Construction Company: S&B
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