Slit House / Architects H2L

Architects: Architects H2L
Area: 213 m²
Year: 2019
Photography: Woochul Jung
Lead Architects: Changyong Hyun, Jeonghyun Hwang
Design Team: Yongjae Kim
Engineering: Woori Engineering, General Structural Consultant
Constructor: Builder and Builders Construction
City: Guri
Country: South Korea

Slit House, a residential building designed by Architects H2L in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, integrates living and work spaces for a family. Completed in 2019, the project navigates the challenges of a triangular plot to create a multi-functional home with innovative use of space and light.

The condition of the field is a critical variable in the project. Despite the field’s appealing appearance, architects rarely understand its limitations during initial exploration. Drawing a conservative architectural base, purchasing the field, and proceeding with the project is particularly challenging in small-scale housing or commercial housing projects due to time and expense pressures.

The couple, involved in clothing design and sales, decided to build a house that combined their work and home life, previously separated by distance. The site chosen was a village on a hill in Guri, Gyeonggi Province. The triangular land, measured at 95 square meters (28 pyeong), appeared larger due to adjacent vacant lots. It seemed feasible to secure a family home, a couple’s office, and even a rental space.

Despite securing the land contract quickly, height restrictions related to sunlight in the north and public notices on large areas limited the upper floors and land use. Considering the need for separate underground entrances, two parking spaces, and distance from neighboring buildings, the available area was limited. The project theme focused on maximizing the residential space within these constraints.

The living space spans the second to fourth floors and follows a morphological concept suited to the triangular land. The design motif, derived from the northern sunlight limit line, integrates the legal boundary into the building’s form. The four-story structure features terraces, a two-story stairwell leading to the front door, and stairs below it. Exposed concrete and windows define the building’s exterior to maintain the clear line concept.

A small Pilotti parking lot, accessible via the long side of the land, leads to the second floor. The second floor includes a living room with an exposed concrete wall, a third-floor family dress room, two bedrooms, an extra room, and a bathroom with a roof on the fourth floor. Windows are maximized for light and ventilation where possible, maintaining privacy with exposed concrete outer walls.

The couple’s workshop, exhibition hall, and shopping area (underground, ground floor) optimize the area and environment while maintaining communication within the earth. The first floor space splits into two, creating a breathing room between the Pilotti parking lot and the road. The narrow part of the triangle houses a small toilet, boiler room, workroom, office, and Pilotti port. A separate basement access is provided via the main stairway, which also serves as a railing retaining wall for safety.

The various conditions of the earth are like the inherent nature of a building project. Slit House emerged from integrating the land’s form, applicable laws, and the architect’s vision. This approach led to a unique form based on the fundamental nature of the site.