all images © Park Wan-soon

Korea-based design firm L’EAU Design designed a folded apartment that is located in commercial district. In between Apgujeong-dong where the middle class gathered and high tech business town Samsung-dong with Teheran-ro as a center, Cheongdam-dong remained in relatively quiet residential area but alleys are gradually changing in the aftermath of surrounding commercial district. Other than having great market value of apartment and land and advantage of school district in this town, it still has good residential environment, but despite of thorough city planning like district units plan, it has possibility of threatening the residents as target of unwanted commercial district.

Expansion of commercial district which invade residential area might seem like a good news to the residents at first as it increases property values, but we experienced the town becoming uninhabitable as stores are continuously flooded thoughtlessly. The studio is witnessing that one of the residential areas with unique characteristics, Banpo Seorae Village and quite Garosu-gil (Tree Lined Street) in Sinsa-dong cannot predict their future as famous brand shops of major companies and indiscreet stores are penetrating into these areas.

Commercial facilities are facilities that provide various convenience facilities and basic commercial facility and that are closely connected to residential life. As long as it meet the legal requirement and guarantees profitability, commercial facilities can be utilized as method of business which aims for earning from leasing according to maximized area. Flood of indiscreet stores hinder qualitative living environment of residents. Thus, detailed alternative of guaranteed neighborhood of living environment and research of neighborhood living, which can vitalize local community and embrace commercial function, culture, and life pattern, are needed. The small scale commercial facilities planning and research that consider public can establish new relationship between street and architecture.

These commercial facilities function as interaction of street and architecture in residential area of city should have good accessibility from the street, avoid vertically severed structure, and play a role of communication that allows interchanging according to the flow. Spatial structure system should be provided which allows people to move smoothly throughout the building with proper use of stair and slope to maximize artificial land use, such as, sunken garden, terrace, roof garden, and mezzanine. Therefore, a volume where interaction occurs in interior to exterior should be provided. This planned commercial facilities with architectural history will provide two hares: cultural convenience of residents and satisfy business need.

Project Facts

Status: Built
Location: 24, Dosan-daero 100-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, S.Korea
Design team: Jeong Sunjun, Kim Taeyeon
Client: Kim Sanggyo

> via leau.co.kr/leau.htm