Dezeen Magazine

Conan House by Moon Hoon

South Korean architect Moon Hoon designed this home with missing corners for a figurine collector and his family (+ slideshow).

Conan House by Moon Hoon

Moon Hoon designed the house for an empty plot beside a lake in Bangdong, an area of South Korea popular with tourists.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

"The vacant site seemed to invite some kind of a sculptural object, unhindered by its neighbours, standing rather conspicuously," said the architect.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

Polygonal facades are created by slicing the corners off a narrow cuboid. On each wall these outlines are repeatedly scaled down and recessed until they form windows in the centre.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

Conan House, which translates as Toy House, was designed for a local TV producer who wanted somewhere to display his toy collection.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

"He is an avid collector of miniature robots and figures," said the architect, "a hobby that started from an early age that has not stopped."

Conan House by Moon Hoon

Hoon created square niches in the railings that surround the central staircase to display the best objects in the client's collection.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

The staircase spirals up the centre of the building around a skylit atrium, dotted with the display cases all the way up.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

More paraphernalia is stored on a wooden bookcase in the basement that nestles in the bottom of the stairwell and wraps around a study area.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

Moving up the building, levels are staggered to separate the entrance and living room from the dining and kitchen area.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

The main bedroom and ensuite bathroom sit a few steps down from two children's rooms that share a window.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

A red slide cuts across the atrium to join the play areas split over the top floors, which have a yellow ceiling and are lit by windows in the sliced-off corners.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

Wooden floors and stair treads run throughout the dominantly white interiors. The entrance is through one of the cleaved wall junctions, easily noticeable from the outside as it's painted red.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

Moon Hoon has also designed a house with a wooden slide slotted between a combined staircase and bookshelf.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

Other residences in South Korea include a countryside retreat for a retired couple and villas covered in volcanic rubbleSee more houses in South Korea »

Conan House by Moon Hoon

Photography is by Nam Goung Son.

Here's some extra information from Moon Hoon:


Conan House, Moon Hoon

The site

Bangdong is a famous place for sight seeing and leisure for nearby dwellers. It can be quite crowded during the holiday seasons.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

The irregular plot of land situated right in front of Bangdong lake boasts a beautiful open view of the lake and a low mountain as a back drop. When visited for the first time, the vacant site seemed to invite some kind of a sculptural object, unhindered by its neighbours, standing rather conspicuously.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

The client

He is a producer for a local TV station, with one kid and a lovely wife. His family visited my office one day and asked for a skip-floored house like Lollipop House, which they had seen in the magazines.

Conan House by Moon Hoon

He was an avid collector of miniature robots and figures. A hobby that started from an early age, which has not stopped. His father was also an avid collector of natural stones shaped like something recognisable or possessing some abstract qualities. The collector gene was running in the family.

Conan House by Moon Hoon
Basement plan - click for larger image and key

The architect

I am a playful architect. I have met the right client, who has kept his child-like mind intact with him. The design went through two alternatives, one each floor stacked and rotating, the other of a box with small broken floors moving up in a spiral.

Conan House by Moon Hoon
Ground floor plan - click for larger image and key

Both had their ups and downs. The client chose the latter. The house has a central core that is used as an exhibition space and a railing for his toys.

Conan House by Moon Hoon
First floor plan - click for larger image and key

The spiral and jagged floor levels follow the spiral stair case all the way up to the attic, where you can find a small red slide that traverses the void. The exterior expresses the inner spiral energy in a simplified form.

Conan House by Moon Hoon
Second floor plan - click for larger image and key

The space

The spiral staircase is a place for movement, play and exhibition. It plays a central role in the house. the other functioning rooms such as living, kitchen, bedrooms are attached to the system.

Conan House by Moon Hoon
Long section - click for larger image and key

The windows are placed in the centre of each wall, mimicking the concept and inviting ample amount of light. The void in the middle gives much vertical depth in a otherwise a compact house.

Conan House by Moon Hoon
Cross section - click for larger image and key