JOHO Architecture transformed a rural house in the Korean countryside near Namhae into an energy-efficient oasis that harmonizes with its site. The original country house was commissioned by the client as a cozy summer house, but once he moved in he felt the space didn’t connect to the beauty of the land. Thanks to JOHO Architecture‘s vision, the home now opens up to the outdoors while conserving energy.
The renovation upgraded the traditional home with a bright white latticed facade and a series of windows, terraces and balconies that create new connections to the surrounding environment. By subtracting certain volumes of the original home, a large entry terrace is created, lifted off the ground by a reinterpreted brick and wood deck construction, with a ramp that wraps around a small garden incorporating more green elements into the new design. Providing much of the aesthetic characteristic, a large curving steel frame holds a thin reticulated aluminum louver system, sandblasted white, that creates a threshold of privacy while allowing the free movement of air and filtration of light. voids in the mesh create apertures to connect the resident to the indigenous landscape. much of the interior was left intact, save the added skylights in the kitchen area, and a newly accessible rooftop terrace.
The building’s front façade is sheltered by a steel lattice exoskeleton that wraps around either side of the home. This double skin filtering daylight while creating a semi-private enclosed terrace. The wrap-around porch gives the residents a shady place to sit outside without being fully exposed to the elements – which is particularly great during the monsoon season.
