Located 110 miles from Seoul in the province of Pyeongchang-gun, Chwihoga House is situated in the Taebaek Mountains, home of the 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2018 Winter Paralympics. At the entrance to the village where Chwihoga House is located, there is a statue of a tiger which symbolizes the legend of Beomuri, the original name of the village, which was established long ago because a tiger often climbed on a large rock in front of the village and roared.
Designed by architecture firm 100A associates, the lead architect on the project was inspired by two paintings by artist Danwon Kim Hongdo, one of which depicted a fierce tiger under a pine tree and the other of a tiger under bamboo. The pine and bamboo forests seen in the paintings signify places of meditation and enlightenment, which the architect has strived to convey in the design of the residence. According to Kwang-il Anlead, “I hoped that the architecture of this land would be a place of muwi – the act of erasing all artificial obstacles and being immersed in them. Where the people who stay here can purify themselves, restore their original naturalness, and gain the energy of restoration.”
Chwihoga House consists of several different structures, the exteriors of which are finished in exposed concrete with touches of wood, including wooden steps leading down to a pond. Natural stone walls surround the structures that include the spaces designated for the owner and the spaces meant for guests. The interior spaces are finished with a combination of wood, tile, and large windows that open up to the natural surroundings of the site. Keeping the interiors purposely simple throughout, the architect truly achieves a place where meditation and enlightenment are possible.
For more architecture news, see Aston Martin Design’s No. 001 Minami Aoyama House.