OYOUNG RESIDENCE

LOCATION:
seocho-dong, seocho-gu, seoul, korea

AREA:
66.00 sq.m

CHRONOLOGY:
design period: 2013.08 - 10
construction period: 2013.09 - 10

KEY MATERIALS:
mahony wood board, paint over concrete, paint over drywall, clear epoxy resin over concrete floor

DESCRIPTION:
Located on the top floor of a 7 story commercial office building shaped by zoning setbacks, this residence occupies an entire floor originally used as an office space. The space lacked residential infrastructure and was never intended for habitation, requiring a complete reorganization to support domestic life.

Designed for a single occupant, the project is freed from conventional concerns of privacy. The interior is conceived as a single open volume, with all essential functions—sleeping, cooking, bathing, and working—organized without full enclosure.

The plan is structured around a T-shaped core formed entirely by freestanding walls. This wall system acts as both spatial organizer and architectural boundary, defining zones while preserving continuity above. One arm of the T accommodates the entrance and storage, leading into the open living area. At the head of the T, the kitchen anchors the space, its island extending into the room and doubling as a workspace and threshold to the sleeping area. The opposite arm contains the shower and bathroom, completing the program with clarity and restraint.

By stopping short of the exposed concrete ceiling, the freestanding walls allow light, air, and sightlines to flow uninterrupted across the interior. The existing floor-to-ceiling glazing wraps three sides of the residence, reinforcing openness and visual connection to the exterior.

The material palette balances raw and controlled surfaces: white-painted exposed concrete, smooth white finishes on the freestanding walls, and a clear epoxy coating over newly poured cement mortar flooring. Sheer white curtains line the glazed perimeter, softening the industrial character of the interior.