muuun hotel emerges through the forest's mist, nodding to traditional korean architecture

muuun hotel emerges through the forest's mist, nodding to traditional korean architecture

NOMAL’s design references traditional Hanok houses

 

Seoul-based architectural firm NOMAL, in collaboration with Onjium housing studio, constructs a small hotel joined with two individual residences following the design principles of Hanok traditional Korean houses. Deviating from the stereotypes around the perception of Hanok, the structure reinterprets the design of the wooden house in a modern way. Without being bound by a particular concept, such as modern reinterpretation or keeping the tradition, the design required two houses in one site, not a typical feature for the specific architectural style. The plan constructs a courtyard, forming two ‘L’ shapes, with the entrance courtyard on the south side and the birth myth of ‘Park Hyeokgeose’ on the north side. The courtyards overlook the historic sites ‘Najeong’ and ‘Namsan’ to the east of the Silla Dynasty. Muuun hotel takes its name from the word meaning ‘the place where mist and cloud befriend’, locating its site close to ‘Samreung’ forest, well known for its beautiful natural scenery. The project aims for a spatial experience similar to the sense of entering a forest full of mist.

muuun hotel emerges through the forest's mist nodding to traditional korean architecture
all images by Choi Yongjoon

 

 

two joined L-SHAPED units form muuun hotel’s plan

 

Designed as a welcoming space, the first entrance curves at 45 degrees between two hanok leading to the main area. The second open courtyard forms a solid facade securing privacy from the neighboring sites. Each L shape unit meets in the center corner as an entrance. Both volumes arrange a living room close to the door and a bedroom at the far corner. The more intimate zones are enveloped inside walls leaving only some small openings at the top for ventilation. Design studio NOMAL lays out each house with sufficient usability, and comfort for the user. Traditional hanok houses shape typical floor types for sitting and sleeping on the floor for a sedentary lifestyle.

 

Muuun presents two different flooring surfaces, a wooden base used for the living room and dining area where tables and chairs sit, and a higher base coated in traditional materials, such as clay plaster and linoleum with bean oil, used for the bedrooms. Differentiating from hanok’s primary white tonality, the walls and ceilings use grey Korean color paper. The bedrooms put up another layer of traditional paper and hemp cloth doors to control the opacity of light coming from the outdoor open garden. The effect creates translucent silhouettes resembling the image of mist and clouds. Finally, the bathtub at the far end of the house exposes the wood structure and assembles a high ceiling and wide-open doors. The openings can transform the space into an indoor or outdoor bath, representing a modern well, as a reference to the local myth of ‘Park Hyukgeose’.

muuun hotel emerges through the forest's mist nodding to traditional korean architecture
the project is a modern reinterpretation of Hanok traditional Korean houses

muuun-designboom-1800-1

muuun hotel NOMAL
a wooden base flooring is used for the dining area where tables and chairs sit

muuun hotel NOMAL
the common functions open toward the private courtyard

muuun hotel NOMAL
the space reinterprets traditional design arranging contemporary elements inside the wooden structure

muuun hotel NOMAL
the bedrooms put up another layer of traditional paper and hemp cloth doors to control the opacity of the light

muuun hotel emerges through the forest's mist, nodding to traditional korean architecture
muuun hotel emerges through the forest's mist, nodding to traditional korean architecture

muuun-designboom-1800-3
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muuun hotel emerges through the forest’s mist, nodding to traditional korean architecture
 
muuun hotel emerges through the forest’s mist, nodding to traditional korean architecture
 

project info:

 

name: muuun
designer: NOMAL

team: Minyuk Chai, Bokki Lee, Seyeon Cho | ONJIUM Housing Studio – Bongryol Kim, Chaewon Park, Jaioh Lee

location: Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea

photography: Choi Yongjoon

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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ARCHITECTURE IN KOREA (366)

HOTEL ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN (611)

PRIVATE COURTYARDS (104)

RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIORS (3383)

WOOD AND TIMBER ARCHITECTURE (733)

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