Forest’s Quintet | Chiasmus Partners

Forests Quintet

Forest’s quintet was conceived as a viable alternative to urban dwelling. Situated in the beautiful mountain range of Yanggu, it is a group of individual dwelling that collectively forms an ideal retreat.

photography by © Young Chae Park

The relationship between each house on this 15-acre site reflects the relationship between its owners. They are either relatives and close friends; they have chosen to build this dream together and retire together to this beautiful retreat. The architectural language and major material are very similar to each home. Yet, due to the special terrain, each house sits on, and the differences in their living habits of each family, every house is unique.

Planning wise, the home is inspired by the idea of oriental pavilions. Oriental pavilions, especially those in Korean gardens, have a special way of orientating toward different views, while in close proximity to each. The difference in spatial and viewing focus allow them to be placed close together without being crowded.

photography by © Young Chae Park

The second inspiration from traditional oriental pavilions is the way they are always open to nature. In this way, these houses are not objects inserted in nature, but rather an enclosure that allows nature to pass through. Most of the houses have views open to multiple orientations. And several of the homes have “gaps” that allow light, wind, and view to literally pass through them.

photography by © Young Chae Park

The material we chose was very humble and practical. Using a type of redwood that resist decay, the exterior of these homes will last for a long time to come, while turning silvery gray, due to the natural aging process of the wood. Interior are quite simple in material and color palette, yet indefinitely rich, due to the different spatial experience one can have in different parts of each home.

During the design process, each family had many design inputs and endless conversations. These are their dream homes. We are so proud that at the end of the process, when they all moved in, rather than envying their neighbor’s home, each family stubbornly insisted on their own home being the best of the bunch.

photography by © Young Chae Park

Project Info
Architects: Chiasmus Partners
Location: Gangwon-do, Korea
Architects in Charge: Hyunho Lee + James Wei KeDesign Team Chisong Lim, Seungmin You, Sunghun Kim, Erang Park
Interior Design Team: Chisong Lim, Erang Park
Artist: Jo Sang
Client: Woncheol Shin + Seungyong Hyun + Jungsu Han + Minsu Han + Changhyeon Cha
Site Area: 660 m2
Area: 150.0 sqm
Year: 2009
Type: Residential
Photographs: Young-chae Park