South Korean architect Moon Hoon completed a concrete house on Jeju Island, a popular holiday destination. It consists of stacked concrete boxes cantilevered over each other and reinforced by diagonal beams of reinforced concrete.
The island's tropical climate, attractive beaches and lush vegetation attract many visitors, but its location also means it is exposed to changing weather conditions and strong winds that affect local architecture. The Moon Hoon office in Seoul has therefore proposed a bunker architecture, while maintaining a distinctive and expressive style. Instead of a low house, the studio has created a three-story building that features sturdy concrete volumes stacked vertically and sloped to make the most of the views available. The openings at the ends of each section are fully glazed to capture daylight and surrounding views.
In response to the need for a more unique aesthetic and in order to protect the structure from harsh weather conditions, the architects added diagonal beams that connect the corners of the boxes. The final composition in layers provides usable outdoor spaces on the roofs of the lower levels, accessible from the living rooms on each floor. An open-air dining room is located off the kitchen on the first floor, with a small garden and a patio on the opposite side. Another garden and a terrace with space for the jacuzzi are located on the top floor. In the center of the building is a void containing a wooden staircase lined with built-in shelves. A skylight at the top of this circulation space allows daylight to filter through the different levels.