Crevice House from Seoul Goes Upwards Instead of Outwards

ThEPlus Architects“>ThEPLlus Architects recently completed this multi-level home from Seoul in South Korea. The house, dubbed Crevice, is set on a small parcel of land that required the designers to go upwards in order to meet the clients requirements.

The project was lead by Hanjun Cho, and saw the construction of a family house with a workshop. As the architects put it: “The size of land may not large, but the plan of uses are plenty.”

From the outside the house stands proud of the neighboring buildings. Finished in white, it’s a sharp contrast to the street’s backdrop, which is mostly composed of red brick properties. The plot measures 602.78-square-feet (56-square-meters), although the home steps back from the plot perimeter by at least a meter on all sides.

Crevice House’s six floors combine to give it a total floor area of 1,442.36-square-feet (134-square-meters). It’s been built for a young couple and their daughter. This particular site was chosen due to its proximity to an elementary school. Their motivations for building the house are related to wanting to swap the city for the suburbs in the search for a less chaotic lifestyle.

From the architect: “I intended to avoid the small space from looking confined, through the shape of the windows, the method of lighting, and the sense of connectivity between floors. From where I stand, I wanted the dwellers to be able to recognize the movements at the floors above and below and maintain a visual connection.”

Internally, the floors are off-set from one another, allowing the designer’s to take advantage of a variety of room sizes and ceiling heights. Street-facing windows are limited in order to provide the inhabitants with privacy. The majority of the home’s natural light comes with the south face of the building, which is littered with windows.

In terms of layout, the basement serves as a work space, and leads up to the entrance, living room and a toilet on the ground floor. The second floor contains the kitchen with a breakfast bar and a separate dining room. The third floor is dedicated to the bedrooms, followed by a floor that’s designed to provide storage. The final level of the room is dedicated to a bathroom.

For more small houses, check out Villa H, a contemporary home by BERG + KLEIN from The Netherlands. Or, Greycouch by Ideacouch, s small Korean home with a rooftop pool. See all small houses.

Photos © In Keun Ryoo