diagonal walls and spacious courtyards shape playful pension by rieuldorang atelier in korea

A PENSION THAT STANDS OUT IN gyeongju, korea

architecture firm rieuldorang atelier introduces ‘marea house’, a playful pension situated in gyeongju, korea. with the site neighboring several residential projects and hotels, the architects decided to differentiate the design and make it stand out among its surroundings. therefore, they came up with the idea of shifting the perspective from a simple stay to play, generating a spacious living environment with clean, eye-catching geometries, and incorporating an additional pool area, courtyard, and playground.

all images courtesy of joonhwan yoon

play on stay

in order to realize marea house, rieuldorang atelier (find more here) drew influence from their previous kindergarten designs. as a result, they gave particular emphasis on the concept of play, as well as the relationship between occupants and nature. ‘most of the people living in apartments have a lack of play in the living space. it’s (…) something you can’t do in an apartment living room — plants swaying in the wind, the experience of touching the soil, etc.’ the architects mention.

to overcome these limitations, the project takes advantage of the undulating terrain to create several areas of play, including a large courtyard and playground. the design removes the boundaries between ornamental gardens and playgrounds, generating open spaces where guests of all ages can connect with nature, and appreciate the beauty of the surrounding hills, trees, and vegetation.

diagonal walls form distinctive volumetry

in this pension, the design language is mainly characterized by oblique lines. the architects formed diagonal elements which serve as both walls and roofs, thus creating a rather unusual volumetry that stands out in the area. at the right side of the site, a diagonal wall provides privacy from the adjacent structures. furthermore, its continuous shape gives a uniform look to the project, without making it appear as a single, heavy mass.

design derived from consideration and personal experience

in marea house, rieuldorang atelier intended to create quality architecture, derived from a deep consideration and personal experience. prioritizing fluid movement and satisfactory space sizes, the designers drew influence from their own everyday lives and knowledge to shape convenient sleeping areas with ideal bed heights, as well as playgrounds that respond successfully to children’s play patterns.