AND: Gablepack

The mixed-use housing blocks that once were empty in Gwanggyo New Town are now densely filled with new buildings.

Due to the descriptively written local codes and the economic desires of the owners that is to maximize rentable square meter, most of the buildings in the area have structurally similar designs.

Instead of following the “architectural formula” of the area, with the Gablepack AND (Architecture of Novel Differentiation) proposes five residential units that are all similar in size – 66 sqm. Therefore, all the units can have two reasonable size bedrooms and a living room. It reflects the rental demand of the area, as most of the tenants in the area are families, usually a couple with a child. It creates a better return for the owner. In order to do this, the architects had to invent a three dimensional puzzle like composition. Because once they place the core space, each floor is left with only 100 sqm. As a result, Gablepack has three double story units, and two double height units.

Instead of only applying a gable roof shape in the exterior, AND decided to actively use the gable form to improve the interior space. The gable form was applied in the living spaces of the units, in the balconies, and on the windows. Thus, all the units have spacious floor to ceiling height and the balconies with an open view. The second floor units have attics, and third and fourth floor units are double story units. It is to compensate the small square meters with spacious cubic meters. The protruded balconies and the windows are all different in sizes, responding to the different characters of the units. The store space on the first floor can be divided into two stores, and the gabled entrance of the building follows the overall concept of the design.

As one walks into the entrance, the bright hallway, located deep inside the building, welcomes the residents. The skylight from the roof brings warm daylight deep down into the first floor lobby. As one walks up the stairs following the light, the stair hall becomes wider and meets a vertical void where one can view all four floors. The communal space is modestly designed, but the warm daylight fills up the space for the residents to greet their neighbors.

The Gablepack, Kyeonggi-do, Korea
Program: apartment building
Architects: AND (Architecture of Novel Differentiation)
Project Manager: Yeonji Kim
Structural Consultant: THE Structural Engineering Co.
Area: 145 sqm
Completion: 2015