This house is designed for families and is located in an old residential neighborhood in Seoul. Yanxi Road, 11th Street, 5th Lane serves as a main pedestrian pathway that crosses this historic area, leading up to the mountains behind Yanxi-dong. Along this route, numerous staircases connect the alleys to the hillsides, offering a unique scale and rhythm reminiscent of grand hotel staircases or the grand entrances of ancient palaces.
Having lived in Yanxi Cave for about 20 years, I have always felt that the space was underutilized. I envisioned people sitting on the steps, chatting, reading, or holding small gatherings. However, these ideas remained just thoughts, rarely becoming reality.
Determined to bring these possibilities to life, I decided to incorporate them into a single home. I wanted the alleyway path to extend inside the house. The space between walls serves as narrow passageways — small alleys between the building and a wall, or between two walls. Just as wide staircases connect houses outside, I introduced a spacious staircase between rooms inside the home. The width of this staircase is proportional to the overall scale of the house.
This wide staircase is also the brightest spot in the house, making it a favorite place for children to sit and read. Interestingly, as you follow this ‘small path’ inside, you even cross a bridge. This blurs the line between indoors and outdoors, prompting a question I’ve long pondered: why must there be a strict division between the two? In this design, the house remains an extension of Yanxi Cave.
Design Drawings
△ Underground Floor Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
Project Information
Project type: Independent residential building
Location: Seodaemun-gu, South Korea
Architectural firm: FHHH FRIENDS
Area: 180m²
Year: 2019
Photographer: Roh Kyoung
Manufacturers: Atree, Bybigtable, FILOBE, Forbo, Samhan C1
Lead Architects: Han Seungjae, Han Yangkyu, Yoon Hanjin, Park Hyesang, On Dinseong
Construction team: Lawoo
Landscape Design: A-Tree
Interior Design: BYBIGTABLE
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