Memories of Hooam-dong
Here is a piece of land shaped like an avocado. In Korea, narrow lots adjacent to public roads are often subject to regulations that require a portion of the land to be given up as roadway. In this case, the “flesh” of the avocado disappeared, leaving only its seed. From this irregular, compressed plot, we had to derive a workable form for the building.
The building was conceived by breaking its essential elements into geometric parts—triangles, rectangles, and circles—each serving a distinct role.
The triangle forms the primary vertical structure. With its thickened walls, it supports the rectangles that hang from either side. These rectangles act as cantilevered slabs, open on two sides without columns. The circle serves as the main circulation: a curved staircase that naturally guides movement between floors.
To maximize the span of the rectangular slabs, the triangular core houses many of the building’s services. Bathrooms and shafts for electricity, water supply, drainage, and communications are contained here, while ceiling-mounted HVAC ducts distribute air into the rectangular spaces for ventilation and climate control.
The circular stair is placed on the exterior. Enclosed beneath the slabs, it gradually opens as one ascends, creating a curious sequence of spaces. At once, it links the building’s volumes and circulation while shielding interior life from the neighboring views.
