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Architects: OfAA
- Area: 113 m²
- Year: 2015
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Photographs:Wonseok Lee
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Manufacturers: Canadian Wood, KCC
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Interior Designer: Design Consulting Abadezone, Jinhwa Jun
Text description provided by the architects. Ondang is a house filled with warmth and comfort, which well reflects the ultimate goal the Office for Appropriate Architecture pursues for a residential building. Ondang presents a good example of an affordable duplex home.
The project started by looking into the current problems raised in housing market in South Korea. Many single homes are often overly priced and/or poorly built even though they easily fail to support the residents’ growing needs and wants, and the market value of the real estate has been constantly increasing. Ondang is presented as a result of architect’s long search for a ”proper duplex" that celebrates the right of living and supports the privacy of both the landlord and the tenant living closely.
The clients, parents and two children, have wanted for a family room where each member may spend their time alone and together. For the new family room had to be different from the conventional living room where a family would watch TV on a couch, the architect provided a flexible common space that can support different uses and varying events.
Living room, kitchen and dining area are merged into one large space on the ground floor, which is ready to adapt changing needs of the family through different occasions. By rearranging the furniture or adjusting the lighting, the family room can turn into a living room, a cafe, a play room, a dinning hall or a study area.
Mother’s role in the family is highlighted in Ondang. In order for the house to efficiently support the homemaker, the kitchen space is located at the very center of the ground floor so that the she or he can watch the children playing in the yard, or in the family room, while occupying himself or herself to varying chores. A number of service spaces are thoroughly connected and aligned, which enables an efficient single flow of homemaking.
As well as the landlord’s own home is to fit the life style of a family of four, the neighbouring rental house is designed to attract provisional tenants, expectably young professionals or newly wedded couples.
In a way to support independent and unique life style of of each household, the rental home is laid along the East and West, and the landlord’s home along the South and North. Two houses are tightly intertwined as three dimensional Tetris blocks, yet there is no interference of circulation or visual connection between the two resident groups. The outdoor spaces are rather fairly assigned: the main yard on the ground floor belongs to the landlord, while the rooftop garden is accessible only for the tenants.
Ondang thoughtfully delivers the architect’s answer for the clients’ wish to own a appropriate family home where there is a rental house built adjacent to court a different type of residents.
