N3315 Commercial facilities / Joh Sungwook Architects
Text description provided by the architects. The image of the buildings in Gangnam, Seoul are tall and have huge blocks facing the boulevard. On the other hand, if you take a step inside from the main street, you can face human-scale buildings in the dense urban structure adjacent to the back road. The aim of this project is to create a building where the residents can maintain a balance between work and rest.
Starting from a cube with maximum volume at the given location, the building is built by separating the mass into pieces and stacking them up continuously. The fragmented pieces are displaced layer by layer, but the direction of the outer space is designed differently for each layer. Therefore, the terrace is created spontaneously with different widths, lengths and directions. The outer space extends the interior space to the exterior and provides ample space in the limited workspace.
The site adjacent to the steep road creates a level difference of one storey height between the north and east road. Located at the intersection of the road, the first basement floor appears to be the ground floor. Natural light penetrates deep into the second basement floor through a sunken garden located in the corner. Located in a mixed-use neighborhood, windows are positioned to preserve privacy and the brick pattern of the facade is designed to block views of the residential areas.
Architecture always transforms in accordance with the values that society pursues. Unlike the era when only economy and efficiency were important, today demands pleasant working conditions and comfort as much as the living environment. As the architecture settles on the site, the image it creates is very decisive. ‘N3315’ will be a space where these different social needs are fulfilled.
