A white desk folds up the wall and across the ceiling like a crumpled aeroplane wing in this apartment in Seoul by South Korean design firm AnLstudio (+ slideshow).
The angular structure travels between the entrance hall and the artist's working areas.
Narrow tubes of lighting have been inserted between fragments of the wing.
In order to separate the living quarters from the workspace, the wing does not enter the kitchen, bedroom or bathroom.
We previously featured another project in South Korea by AnLstudio – an observatory made of shippping containers.
See all our stories about Seoul »
See all our stories about apartments »
Photographs are by Sunghwan Yoon and Heebon Koo.
Here's some more information from the architects:
AnLstudio, a New York & Seoul-based design firm, completes renovated home office space for an artist. The project is located in typical residential unit on 10th floor of a 45 year old Korean complex apartment in Seoul. The project was built on re-consideration of dwelling space in response to home-working.
Ultimately, it attempts not only to maximise the texture of the historical landmark building, but also to create a new environment that supports a condition for two conflicting activities (working and dwelling), reflecting the contemporary residential culture. AnLstudio rethinks how the typical residential unit can accommodate two activities - creating two clusters and sharing the programs.
Inspiration in both the name of apartment, Nakwon – meaning 'utopia' – and the client’s attitude for life, led to the design of the distinguishing purely white feature shaped like a wing of an aeroplane. The aim for the wing is to differentiate between two rival life patterns in a confined space. The target is to maximise the spatial perception by wrapping it with unique lighting embedded in the ceilings and walls of working area.
The 'wrapper' around the ceiling and wall surfaces of the ground floors is carefully planned to connect and serve the semi-public clusters such as the vestibule, living area, library and Working table. The wing supports functions of work, providing lighting and organising dwelling units along the periphery of the space, which is the private area (master bedroom, kitchen, bathroom).
Client: Sey Min
Architect: AnLstudio
Team: Keehyun Ahn, Minsoo Lee, and Yongseok Kwon
Construction Director: Heebon Koo
Location: Jongro, Seoul
Program: Home Office
Area: 69sqm
Status: Completed 2012 August