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historical stone wall house

ARCHITECT CHOI DU NAM

When it comes to designing their own homes, architects generally fall into two camps: those who test their design concepts by building for themselves and those who prefer to live in non-designed neutral environments. Home to architect Choi Du Nam, his attorney wife, and their two children was not only a test of the architect’s design concepts but also a massive labor of love. The 165-square meter house has a complicated history, proven by a thick album of photographs and drawings compiled by the architect’s wife, but it is also a celebration of her husband’s persistence and creativity.

The story begins with the couple’s desire to have a home within three kilometers of the wife’s workplace in downtown Seoul, yet with a view of the Bukhan Mountain. The wife originally saw the site in Buam-dong – on which stood a dilapidated house – in the spring of 1999. “The steep and narrow roads immediately discouraged me from going any further, but feeling obliged to have a look for the sake of the realtor who took me there, I climbed to the roof only to discover this breathtaking mountain view and the remains of the historical stone wall” – the wall originally surrounding the entire medieval city of Seoul to protect its castle and city residents from foreign intruders.

The decision to acquire the house was made when the couple learned that the area was designated a green belt and that all new structures had to be built within the perimeters of existing buildings, thereby guaranteeing preservation of the lush natural surroundings and mountain view. The price was also within their budget. It was only after the sale that they discovered that part of the existing house had been built illegally on the neighboring lot. Initial plans to renovate the house proved impossible, leaving no choice but to rebuild. Six months were spent prior to this determining the legal boundaries. Compounding the difficulties was a preservation law requiring a distance of five meters from the house to the historical wall running lengthwise along the east side of the lot, with additional height restrictions prohibiting obstruction of the wall. After all subtractions, the legal building area was reduced to a mere 55 percent of the total lot size.

After drawing up countless plans addressing the obstacles, the architect finally plumped for a plan that capitalized on the beauty of the historical wall while maximizing the living areas in the narrow lot. The arc-shaped design of the exposed concrete structure is a perfect response to the narrow building area. The upper entry level houses the living, dining, and kitchen areas, son’s bedroom, guest room, and bathroom. Located on the lower level are the family room-cum-master bedroom, master bathroom, daughter’s bedroom, and garage. Having fulfilled all functional requirements, the architect then proceeded to design the features he personally wanted: water elements and a large roof deck for mountain viewing and entertaining.

The ivy-clad medieval wall running alongside the back of the upper level of the house is juxtaposed against a minimalist water element at its base: a narrow pool running the width of the lot. Pine trees and peonies, classic Korean images, harmonize beautifully with the historical wall. An unsightly retaining wall and concrete water tank thoughtlessly built against the historical wall by the former owners were demolished step by step. To compensate for the removed retaining wall and to provide extra moisture-guard, two new retaining concrete walls were constructed under the pond, hidden from view. The staircase built along this pond leads from the main gate to the upper-level entrance of the house and the roof deck on top. On top of the new retaining wall, the foundation for the new garden was built with old stone blocks acquired in an antiques market.

Encased in glass and sandblasted stainless steel with limestone surrounds, the see-through fireplace acts as a divider between the living and dining areas. Designed by the architect himself, the steel coffee table is paired with large cushions upholstered in jewel-toned Korean silks, made by Mono Collection. The floor seating is ideal for enjoying the fireplace and for maximizing the space in the small living room. The collage on the wall is assembled from seashells collected by the children on a summer holiday in Martha’s Vineyard. Sunlight flooding in from the skylight provides additional heat in the winter but is tempered by electronically controlled shades in the summer.

To maximize space in the small house, the family sleeps on traditional hand-dyed silk bedding on the heated Cabruva wood floor. Deeply impressed by the jewel-toned colors of silk bedding displayed at Unhyeongung Palace, the wife was able to obtain similar custom-made bedding with the help of a traditional bedding shop. The couple sleeps in the area behind the lower-level family room, which is partitioned for privacy at night with a heavy cotton-faced silk curtain. The children have their own bedrooms and bathrooms. The armchairs in the family room are modeled on a leather sofa the couple bought in Boston when they were newlyweds, scaled down for the ergonomics of the Asian physique. A coffee table was designed in black leather to match.

Throughout the house, innovative design maximizes the space. Opposite the entrance, the guest room-cum-music room for the guitarist son can be partitioned with a set of folding doors, which are normally kept open. A collection of Goryeo Dynasty (AD 918–1392) celadon ware is displayed on the glass shelf below.

The Bukhan Mountain forms a splendid backdrop to the dining area. Suspended above the dining table, designed by the architect, the lighting fixtures are classics from the 1980s by Ingo Maurer.

The skylight above the entrance hall is fitted with electronically controlled shades.

The Bulthaup kitchen, equipped with a high-calorie gas stove, is where the busy attorney and mother of two indulges in her love of cooking and entertaining. She meticulously sketched all details of the kitchen, including the position of electric outlets in the appliance garage in two different voltages, local and US. For efficient workflow, the kitchen counter is equipped with a washer/dryer, and the internal staircase connecting the two floors is placed next to the kitchen, making it convenient for carrying groceries from the lower-level garage.

An antique iron charcoal brazier and kettle are used for boiling water to serve tea to guests at the coffee table.

An old ceramic Chinese paperweight adds interest to the living room shelf.

An exquisite traditional stone “ironing” block, used to beat the wrinkles out of laundry with wooden bats, is given the attention it deserves in front of the roaring fire.

Enhanced by a carpet of brilliant green duckweed and a stone turtle, a Chinese stone water bowl from the Han Dynasty (202 BC – AD 220) greets visitors in the entrance hall.

A tasteful display of Gaya Federation (AD 42–56) earthenware sits atop the shoe closet in the entrance hall. The medieval stone wall and water feature are visible beyond.

The house sits elevated above the street on an old retaining wall. A sandblasted steel gate opens to the arced-shaped exposed concrete structure fitted with double-paned aluminum-framed windows.

A precast concrete paneled wall encloses the lower garden planted with Chinese trumpet creepers, spreading junipers, and maples. Old stone blocks are used to create a walkway laid in an arced pattern that traces the shape of the building.

Flanked by two grape vines trained to stand upright, the water element at the end of the walkway is made from old stone blocks.

A close-up of the sand-blasted steel gate which opens to the exposed concrete house.

To accommodate the large number of guests who frequent the house, the spacious roof deck, paved in moabi, an Indonesian wood, and gravel, has two seating areas. Two circular zinc-plated planters contain summer vegetables and herbs, replanted annually. The large kimchi pot hides gardening tools. A steel kennel (not shown) in the upper garden was specially designed by the architect for the family dog.