Surf House
Yangyang, a surf city
Yangyang, which embraces Mount Seoraksan and the East Sea, is known as a city with wonderful sceneries of the mountains and seas. It is a small city with a population of 28,000 people but it attracted a steady stream of tourists who visited Yangyang for abundant tourist attractions. However, Yangyang has changed over the past few years. As the city suddenly emerged as a surfing attraction in the country, young people started coming to Yangyang. As people gathered to surf, restaurants, cafes, and shops were also built and the city, which used to face limits in regional development due to an aging society, was revitalized at last. The transformation in the city from surf culture did not only enliven tourism but also caused an influence on the influx of the population. Surfers started to build houses around beaches where it is great to surf. Furthermore, improvement in transportation infrastructure deserves to be noted as a background of regional activation. The opening of the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway in 2018 enhanced accessibility to the capital area and initiated the supply of houses. Likewise, Yangyang is basking in a renaissance from surfing.
Land close to mountains and seas
Jukdo beach in Yangyang, where surf houses are located, is an area that led the surfing culture so there are plenty of attractions and activities to enjoy. This beach stands side by side with Ingu Beach, and is a sandy beach that stretches for 2 km with Jukdo, an island with many bamboos, in between, and presents a peculiar scenery with a dense forest together with various pubs, surfing shops, and cafes. A married couple, who are the building owners, visited Yanygyang more frequently because they were mesmerized by the attractions in the city, and they soon built rapport with the local people and purchased a site after hearing the news that Twetgol Village located in the west of Jukdo beach was going to be developed as a housing site. The site is a step away from the beach and all three faces are surrounded by the mountain. The ocean is hidden by the road in the east that lies open and considering the fact that buildings will be built on the adjacent land, the site did not have a nice view. However, there was a mountain located on a relatively large land so there was plenty of sunlight and the advantage was that an exclusive access road was subdivided. There is a tacit ray that pours over artificially shaped land and a view of foreseeable buildings to some extent. In the midst of that, the concern of deciding the attitude became the starting point of the design.
Three yards with a gentle breeze
Generally, single-family houses have a main yard when entering the houses from the road, and there are many cases where the houses are located in the corner of the site. However, this specific site was located in a natural green area, so construction work was only permitted on 20% of the site. After long contemplation on how to properly utilize the remaining 80% of the site, three yards were designed. After entering through the main exit past the entrance yard, there is a courtyard and through the kitchen in front of the courtyard, there is an inner garden. This arrangement induces an extension of the natural environment. The indoor and outdoor structure is not separated, as opportunities for the inner side to meet the external space were designed so that the outdoors can be enjoyed fully. It was important to be able to see the views of the mountains and the sky and feel the breeze. It is because it is a second house that is located on land surrounded by nature and stands out from houses in the city to provide a restful experience.
A non-daily life space
The owner made a simple request about the design with a second house and guesthouse in mind. The owner wanted a house with a room for the married couple, a space for guests to stay in, and a shared kitchen. The inside and outside of the building intactly reflected their simple request. It is a simple two-story building that indicates the intention of the owner. Although it was possible to construct a four-story building on the site, it was built as a two-story building considering the use of the building. A kitchen and guest room are located on the first floor and there is a bedroom for the couple on the second floor. Since it is not a daily space, the building was planned so that the rooms satisfy minimal functions. The independent kitchen outdoors is an adventurous device considering the non-daily and distinct nature of a second house. The purpose of a second house is to enjoy life away from the city, so the space is not focused on convenience and it did not matter if the rooms and the kitchen were not adjoined. The kitchen that functions as a stopover between the courtyard and inner garden is a passage to encounter nature and a community space to interact with others.
Façade struck by the waves
In the case of buildings located near the ocean, salinity should be taken into consideration due to its geographical nature. Finishing materials with strong durability and easy maintenance must be chosen for the buildings to be intact. Due to these reasons, architecture by the seaside mainly utilizes rocks, concrete, and aluminum but exposed concrete was applied considering the texture of mono material. Instead of using smooth finishing that is disparate from the surrounding, patterns were designed to express dense wood stems or irregular linear shapes that resemble the surging waves. Mold for civil construction was used to embody 20mm width and vertical triangular lines. The rugged side expresses the natural changes based on the flow of time. The traces that cannot be helped due to the natural environment are accepted in a nonabrasive manner. In addition, the patterns and depth of the materials create diverse sides based on the light. There is a time difference between the side with and without a shadow from the light, and the impression given off by the building varies depending on the hourly light.
