The Symbiosis of Work and Life
The 3rd/1st floor of Shengshui Cave is nestled within a narrow residential area, a rare find amid the surrounding heavy industrial zones. Taking just a few steps along this tight street, you’ll encounter various active factories. While many factories have relocated to the city’s suburbs due to land value changes, Shengshui Cave still offers a lively urban environment where work and life seamlessly coexist.
This building embodies the coexistence of work and life, mirroring the dynamic urban fabric of Shengshui Cave. The 3rd/1st floor is a mixed-use structure, featuring commercial spaces on the ground level and integrated offices and residential apartments above. This multifunctional design allows different users to efficiently share the limited space within the narrow footprint throughout different times of day and night.
A Larger Upper Volume and Smaller Lower Volume
Located in Shengshui Cave, the 3rd/1st floor building stands among three-story multifamily residences characterized by similar lines and balconies on their facades. While resembling other older residential neighborhoods in Seoul, Shengshui Cave is a heavy industrial area with a high plot ratio of up to 4.0. Most newly constructed buildings along the street rise to 7 or 8 stories or more, crowding the narrow lanes.
In contrast, the 3rd/1st floor building features a larger upper volume paired with a smaller lower floor, where the ground level occupies significantly less space. This vertical extension of the narrow street increases distance from neighboring buildings, helping to protect residents’ privacy and offering a more open view for pedestrians. The architects hope this design approach will inspire future developments in Shengshui Cave.
Memories of Shengshui Cave
Looking down from Metro Line 2, the red brick buildings of Shengshui Cave stand out as unique forms growing within the urban fabric. Although the 3/1 building’s shape differs from the surrounding structures, it pays homage to the area’s history through its materiality and harmonizes with neighboring buildings.
3/1 Architecture embraces modernity while incorporating traditional materials, notably using bricks in an innovative way. To express the building’s dual functions, the facade features varying block densities at its edges. The lower commercial area uses a double-layer curtain wall (BIM) design to maximize openness in the relatively narrow interior. Meanwhile, the upper residential area has fewer windows to reduce visual intrusion from nearby buildings. This brick facade acts like a screen, allowing natural light inside while safeguarding the privacy of neighbors.
Durability
The essence of a city lies in the traces it accumulates over time. The architects believe Shengshui Cave’s charm comes from its unique atmosphere rather than trends or convenience. Constructed in 2018, the 3/1 building was designed with long-term performance in mind, prioritizing durability and modernity.
Material selection was carefully considered to ensure flexibility and resilience, enabling the structure to adapt to the ever-evolving urban landscape.
Drawings
First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
Third Floor Plan
Fourth Floor Plan
Fifth to Sixth Floor Plan
Seventh Floor Plan
West Elevation
South Elevation
Sectional View A-A
Section B-B
Perspective Analysis 01
Perspective Analysis 02
Perspective Analysis 03
Project Information
Architectural Design: Sosu Architects
Project Location: Seongdong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Lead Architects: Seokhong Go, Mihee Kim
Design Team: Seona Kim, Yunsun Park, Hyeongwon Yang, Yeseul Hwang
Building Area: 477.55 square meters
Project Duration: 20 years (BIM learning), 18 years
Architectural Photography: Kyung Roh
Manufacturers: Domus Tiles, Namsun, Signify, DAELAMBATH
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