Stay_Soar is a multi-family housing project in Yangjaecheon Cafe Street. A total of 13 units were arranged in this volume of 286.81m2, including 12 residential units and one retail on the first floor. This was possible because the area of common use space in a typical floor plan was reduced to minimum by incorporating the skip floor layout. We tried to reveal the skip floor structure to the outside through the outline of the mass and the arrangement of the windows.
Project Name: stay_soar
Architects: studio_suspicion
Architect in charge: Sooyoung Cho, Taesang Park
Location: Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Building use: Residential(Multiplex housing unit)
Site area: 146.40㎡
Built area: 87.75㎡
Total floor area: 286.81㎡
Building scope: 5 above ground
Building to land ratio: 59.94%
Floor area ratio: 195.91%
Structural engineer: Noori structural engineering
Construction: Ileap const.
Main structure: Reinforced concrete
Exterior finish: White stucco, Exposed concrete, Resin bonded surfacing systems
Interior finish: Silk wallpaper, LG window, Deco tile
Year completed: 2019
Photographs: Edward R. Jr.
An important element that determines the impression of this building is the movement in the border where the upper part covered with white shell meets with the lower part exposed with the frame structure. This is also the result of moving along the building composition of skip floor. Since most of the outer walls, including the inclined wall, were planned with white stucco finish, it was important to have a countermeasure against contamination. The construction was completed even incorporating details that are not commonly used.
In addition, we even had the opportunity to sufficiently inspect the actual performance of the finishing because the construction extended over a period of fine dust and rainy season continuing back-to-back. The stairs on the 4th and the 5th floors jut out from the middle of the white shell and are finished in exposed concrete like the lower floor. The floor of the staircase and the corridor is finished in a beige color resin bonded surfacing systems. Since the staircase is located outside, we chose this non-skid landscaping paver. People will read a flow of line through this nimble appearance of yellow staircases crossing between the achromatic mass. Instead of having a stairway that is to be passed and overcome in a hurry, we tried to create a small living room and front yard out of a stairway where wind and light permeate. Considering the importance of security in an apartment house, a lock was installed on the main entrance to the building in addition having a lock installed on the front door of each unit. The structures on the first floor also contribute to security in a natural way without a fence. They are finished with wires and a see-through gate, providing the balance of openness and security necessary on the first floor.
The area of respective unit is small, but we have carefully arranged the layout of the bathroom, utility room, furniture, socket and so on in order to accommodate various lifestyles. We also made sure there is individuality in each unit by incorporating different window locations for each unit. Unit 402 shows how the skip floor layout is realized internally. Unit 501, which is connected to the attic, features the largest sense of space among all the units, and thus is used by the building owner as the master bedroom cluster. Units 502, 202, and 203 have openings that are more spacious compared to other units thanks to the windows installed on corners.
For the rest of the units with ordinary windows, we complemented spaciousness with larger built-in storage space and walls. Tenants will be able to shop for a residency according to their preference while considering different options of window, storage, openness and coziness. In order to properly construct a building, it is important that all professionals involved in the product do their jobs the right way. In the case of Stay_Soar, we are not in the position to judge whether the architect did everything the right way. But we can say for sure that the contractor did a great job. The contractor demonstrated a profound understanding of what the drawings demand. Most of the undecided details were completed by the contractor, who also filled in the blanks appropriately at time. The collaboration process with the competent and dedicated contractor was reassuring and reliable beyond words.
