BCHO Architects Associates

Scissor House

Scissor House
© Wooseop Hwang

SCISSOR HOUSE 

BCHO Architects

CATEGORY
Houses

LOCATION
Seogwipo-si, South Korea

ARCHITECTS
BCHO Architects

AREA
3438.0 m2

YEAR
2008

PHOTOGRAPHS
Wooseop Hwang

Text description provided by architect.

Located on the southern slope of Jeju Island, the Scissor House pivots up a previously existing tangerine farm overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Scissor House
© Wooseop Hwang
Scissor House
© Wooseop Hwang

The volcanic Island, Jeju, is approximately 100 kilometers south of the Korean Peninsula. Known for its tropical landscape and strong winds, Jeju Island has indigenous homes which are typically earth houses with low thatched dome roofs tied down with large volcanic basalt stones. Warm summer breezes blow up from the Pacific over the entire face of Halla Mountain, the islands central volcano.

Cold winter winds blow south from the upper latitudes of Russia and China. The scissor house is oriented to take advantage of these natural conditions while maintaining much of the existing tangerine farm.

Scissor House
© Wooseop Hwang
Scissor House
© Wooseop Hwang

The slope of the site is terraced with 2 to 3 meter basalt stone retaining walls. The house scissors between one tier and another, stepping up and pivoting around the low basalt stone wall. A small stone and moss garden faces the entry and steps up to the main living space which overlooks a courtyard, with a persimmon tree, towards the Pacific Ocean.

Sliding doors along the main living and eating space can open the entire house to the ocean for much of the year. The continuous roof remains low and monolithic to allow the singular form protection from the strong winds moving over the house.

Scissor House
© Wooseop Hwang
Scissor House
© Wooseop Hwang
Scissor House

The Scissor House is able to maintain a small ecological footprint while enjoying the immense beauty of the Island and the Pacific Ocean.

Scissor House
© Wooseop Hwang
Scissor House
© Wooseop Hwang
Scissor House
© Wooseop Hwang


Scissor House
Elevation
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Elevation


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Scissor House
Plan
Scissor House
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Scissor House
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Scissor House
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Scissor House
Plan

BCHO Architects Associates
T +82 2 5378261 F +82 2 5378201
BCHO Architects Associates
55-7 Sil bldg. 3rd fl, Banpo 4dong, Seocho-gu, South Korea