Seongbukdong alleyway, Because I had visited the area from time to time due to ongoing projects, I had grown increasingly accustomed to the idea of having an office here in Seongbukdong. And one day, a 40-year-old house came into my possession. It was a considerably large house where gazing outside gave me absolute joy. With a chapel at a distance, the scenery reminded me of some place out of Europe and gave me comfort. It was a building with two additional floors constructed below. I had thoughts for a new building construction, but I decided to remodel the place first. Due to a scheduled urban renewal, I planned on constructing a new building after the surrounding area was organized. Leaving the original house as it is, we needed a new unique mass. This was why I was so determined about a new form of creativity and reconstruction of spaces. Although I was not fixed on modular systems, hot rolled steel plate modules eventually affected the form after being selected as the finishing material due to their excellent color finish. Hot rolled steel plates require layers of coating due to its low tolerance to rust. However, the material seemed suitable for the overall design concept with consistent context… The steel plate material helped my aspiration for a single material finish. There is an inner world in architecture as well. This influences the outer finishing materials. Should I say ‘Gan’(間: term for gap or in between)? There are always gaps among spaces. Cement blocks also covered the existing staircase, forming a new mass. Despite the rigid property, when blocks were joined to steel plates…they began to carry warm, even smooth properties. The material often becomes a backdrop to shadows from existing greenery (Ginkgo, Horse Chestnut). The living room that contains a fireplace composed of rough stones stacked on top of each other, and a high ceiling is used as a meeting room and a presentation room. Also, there is a library zone where the stairs end. Traces of the old house were left intentionally throughout the house. This was to preserve the taste and stature of the old house. The balance between these contexts and freshly designed finishing materials create harmony. The underground floor(looks underground from the office, but actually on ground level) which was used as a sample room is now occupied by a cafe branch, Alex the Coffee. After coming to work, savory scent of scone and coffee often tickles our noses around the time for a meeting. This is a bonus to an office where people spend prolonged hours in a space contemplating about design. 

Seongbukdong Living Axis.