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Architects: Atelier ITCH
- Area: 50 m²
- Year: 2021
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Photographs:Jae Yoon Kim
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Lead Architects: Jinwook Jung, Yourim Lee
Text description provided by the architects. ITCH(二致), is the congruence of two different things. Located in the alley in front of Seonggwak Park in Sindang-dong, Jung-gu, ITCH House is the newlywed house of a space designer couple. This place, where two people with different styles meet to achieve one purpose, was planned as a home for them and a workspace that can be a leap to a new beginning.
The ITCH House is located between dozens of households, between high and dense buildings around it. Due to the nature of the location, which can only be reached through narrow and high stairs, this small house, located among the crowded buildings, had to be a building with a comfortable atmosphere where you can catch your breath. It was hoped that the bright ivory bricks that could light up the surroundings, the light leaking through the bricks, and the small garden would be such a breath. The designer's work inside of the first floor is reflected to the outside, and the planting and vitality of the terrace are exposed to passers-by through space stacking, thereby expanding the sense of space.
The entrance to the existing building was looking at the path through which people passed. The fact that the opening of the front door could be seen through the windows of several dozen houses around was thought to be the most vulnerable part of a house. Privacy is enhanced by allowing people to return to the back of the building through the narrow alley surrounding the house. In addition, the facade of the building with no openings was built with bricks, and the balustrade was also made of an exterior material to widen the facade to create a sense of presence. In addition, the old Gudeuljang, which has been constituting the building since ancient times, was reused to create an entrance with timeliness.
The ITCH House is a small house with 27㎡on the first floor and 22㎡on the second floor. For those who spend more time working and inviting people than cooking, the kitchen space on the first floor was reduced and a long table that can seat up to 12 people is placed. At the end of the table, it opens to a terrace, allowing the greenness and light of bamboo to enter the space, giving a sense of expansion. The floor, walls, and ceilings were all unified in the same wood tone to add a sense of expansion and comfort, and all furniture and electronic devices were hidden inside the wall to make the space appear larger.
The couple, who think that the time in the shower space at the beginning and end of the day improves the quality of life, realized a large bathtub space by dividing the dry toilet and the wet bathroom, although it is a small space. Recently, while feeling skeptical about apartments and houses built in the same shape as factories, we tried to design a space where we can realize our own lifestyle as a new home. Winston Churchill said, “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” We wanted a building that could reflect the tastes of its occupants and influence their way of life. Considering this lifestyle, I hope this small house will be a building that can have a good influence on couples drawing the future.
