The building designed by LKSA creates an envelope formed by the cubic nature of the structure, creating a grid that facilitates the extension of the interior space to the exterior, or in other words, the exterior into the building thanks to large floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
The façade, which blends naturally into the existing urban context, plays with four different depths and uses a light grey tone as the main colour of the building, similar in brightness and saturation to the nearby structures. On the ground floor, the envelope is set back to accommodate four parking spaces and to give way to a communications core located at the rear of the building.
The renovation of the building was essential to offer spacious interiors, so it was necessary to reinforce the old concrete structure and replace the brick masonry with a steel structure.
Blue cube by LKSA. Photography by Gu Uijin.
Description of project by LKSA
The site is located in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, along a 20-meter-wide road, designated as a Type 3 General Residential Area. This project involved an extensive remodeling of a six-story multi-family housing building (one basement level and five above-ground levels), built in the early 1990s with a hybrid structure of reinforced concrete and brick masonry. The goal was to transform the building from residential use into a neighborhood living facility, reconfiguring the spatial system to meet contemporary demands.
Over the past 30 years, the building had aged, necessitating updates to its architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical systems to advance its structural, functional, and aesthetic qualities. Key objectives included enhancing the efficiency of vertical circulation (such as installing a new elevator and reconstructing the staircase) creating open and spacious interiors, and reconfiguring the building's façade to maximize the value of its programs.
The existing reinforced concrete structure was strengthened, and the brick masonry was replaced with steel framing. This allowed the removal of load-bearing walls that had divided the original residential spaces into smaller rooms, enabling the creation of large, open spaces suitable for a neighborhood living facility. To promote interaction between the interior and exterior, full-height glass windows were installed throughout the building. The façade design sought uniformity based on a grid pattern, reflecting the cubic nature of the structure. To introduce rhythm within this uniformity, the façade elements were planned with four varying depths.
To harmonize naturally with the existing urban context, the building's primary color was chosen as a light gray tone, similar in brightness and saturation to the surrounding urban fabric. This decision aimed to allow the building to blend in rather than assert a dominant presence.
Instead of erasing a structure that had endured for decades and accumulated its own urban and historical narrative, this project embraced the building’s traces of the past as valuable assets. By redesigning and updating the structure to respond to current needs, the project aspired to root the building firmly in its place while fostering new value. This approach challenges both architects and building owners to deeply consider the implications of adaptive reuse and historical continuity.
In this newly reborn space, like a flower blooming with fresh vitality, I hope that those who inhabit and experience it will quietly exude the fragrance of beautiful memories for years to come.
