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Architectural Tribute to Korean Poet From Times of Great Peril

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Seoul-based BCHO Architects built this thoughtful home in honor of the Korean poet Yoon Dong-joo.

Just as his poetry expressed hope for the future from times of great peril – which he tried to achieve through self-restraint and self-reflection – their hope is that this Earth House would be a house where we can reflect on ourselves while living in the present era.

A monk-like retreat is created by the courtyard space, open to the sky and surrounded by the solidity of the concrete walls holding back the earth beyond.

Set into the concrete retaining wall are round disk sections from a pine tree which was cut down from the site. As the wood decays, it will host small plants and new life will arise over time, greening the wall.

Rammed earth used in the walls was created from the site’s own excavation.

Under the rammed earth floor, a radiant floor heating and cooling system keeps the interior comfortable. What little electricity is used, is off-peak power, which typically comes from wind at night, to heat the radiant flooring.

Most of the heating and cooling comes from geothermal tubes run from the earth to gather the earth’s always temperate climate to cool the house in summer and to warm it in winter.

It is easy to run geothermal tubes laterally from side to side under and through the walls of this narrow structure.

Doors are a little smaller than average, necessitating bending a little, or humbling yourself, before entering within.

On the advice of consulting rammed earth guru Keunsik Shin; only the most minimal white cement and lime was mixed in so that the building will be able to return to soil at the end of its useful life.

But a home this timeless would likely be passed down from generations. As the architect says: “It is a house which focuses on the primal relationship between nature and humans. It is built with careful consideration of constructional efficiency and our somatic senses.”

Source: Daily Tonic