House of the House / OfAA

House of the House / OfAA - Interior Photography, GlassHouse of the House / OfAA - Interior Photography, WindowsHouse of the House / OfAA - Exterior Photography, Glass, BrickHouse of the House / OfAA - Exterior Photography, GardenHouse of the House / OfAA - More Images+ 26

seongnam-si, South Korea
  • Architects: OfAA
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  215
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2018
  • Photographs
    Photographs:Wonseok Lee
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  AutoDesk, Adobe, American Standard, Benjamin Moore, Eagon, Google, Real Zinc, samhanC1
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House of the House / OfAA - Exterior Photography, Garden
© Wonseok Lee

‘House of the House’ is a small solo residence for a grandmother in her mid-seventies. The architect’s main concern when designing this house was that the grandmother would not feel lonely. Solitude can be very intimidating for senior citizens. First of all, this house is physically connected to the neighborhood, unlike other houses in the area, which are closed off with garages, walls and fences. The grandmother's house feels open with its welcoming walkway. Thanks to the flowers and beautiful trees alongside this path, people will regard the grandmother's house as friendly and cozy.

House of the House / OfAA - Interior Photography, Windows
© Wonseok Lee
House of the House / OfAA - Image 27 of 31
Plan 02
House of the House / OfAA - Interior Photography, Windows
© Wonseok Lee

Moreover, as she loves gardening, she will maintain her health by nurturing these flowers and trees, and being occupied in this way will prevent her from feeling lonely. The grandmother’s home feels as if it is comprised of three, differently-sized houses. This idea is called ‘house of the house’, a concept of planning suitable residential spaces while maintaining the relationships between private / public and internal / external spaces.

House of the House / OfAA - Interior Photography, Stairs, Wood
© Wonseok Lee

The 'Small House' is a private area where the grandmother's bedroom, walk-in closet, and therapy pool are connected, like a studio apartment. The therapy pool is the grandmother's personal hydrotherapy space. The 'Big House' is a space that is integrated with a living room, dining room and kitchen, and can be considered her daily living space. Since it is of a size appropriate to a public space, it was possible to plan a high living room ceiling, and an attic utilizing the remaining space for family visitors.

House of the House / OfAA - Interior Photography, Glass
© Wonseok Lee
House of the House / OfAA - Image 24 of 31
Plan 03
House of the House / OfAA - Interior Photography, Windows, Beam
© Wonseok Lee

The ‘Big House’ and ‘Small House’ can be used as independent spaces, as they are separated by the ‘Middle House’. A courtyard and a sun-room comprise the ‘Middle House’. In essence, the sun-room is the main entrance of the house, and is filled with potted plants, but it is also a multi-purpose space, which can be used in various ways according to season and situations.

House of the House / OfAA - Exterior Photography, Glass, Brick
© Wonseok Lee

For instance, when the fireplace is in use, the family can bake sweet potatoes in winter, or they can lie on the cool raised floor in the summer.It serves a similar purpose to the maruor bongdang of the Korean traditional residence, the hanok. All of these areas are centered around the courtyard, giving the indoor and outdoor spaces the correct balance, thus enriching the experience of the ‘Small House’

House of the House / OfAA - Exterior Photography, Facade
© Wonseok Lee

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About this office
Cite: "House of the House / OfAA" 25 Apr 2020. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/937796/house-of-the-house-ofaa> ISSN 0719-8884

© Wonseok Lee

宅中宅,避免孤独的长者独居之家 / OfAA

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