**Background [The Beginning of the Dilemma]**
Unlike the wide roads and flashy buildings at Cheongdam Intersection, the site for Biwon is located at an uphill intersection along a 6-meter road. The buildings currently under redevelopment along the narrow road are uniform and densely packed, creating a more claustrophobic atmosphere and darkening the streetscape with their closed-off language. The first task was to address this sense of confinement on the site while considering the value of creating a space with urban expansion and vitality.
**Design Solution [Transformation of Mass]**
The first step in the design was to create the building's scale through layering, considering the city's regulations and appropriate areas to organize the volume. In this process, rather than following a regular form, the mass began to take on varied shapes through offsetting and reduction. Additionally, instead of a closed-off feeling in the stairwells, the design incorporated external staircases that interact more actively with the street, creating a visual expansion and a dynamic image. The staggered terraces on each floor were designed to be used like a garden by the occupants. This hidden garden, which could not be found in the city, serves as both a transition space between the interior and exterior and a passageway for airflow.
**Material Use [Brick]**
Brick is a material whose value does not diminish over time. Like a good building and a person, brick proves its worth as time passes. By using a single material—white glazed brick—on the three-dimensional mass, the building exudes both weight and a serene, subdued feel. To create variation in the single material, different stacking methods were employed to introduce changes in the patterns, adding both unity and diversity to the facade. From standard decorative stacking to more intricate methods like the "glowing" stacking technique, the building was given a variety of expressions.
**Biwon [The Hidden Garden]**
At some point, buildings in the city began to focus solely on rental space and area, neglecting their broader role and value. In Biwon, we aim to provide an answer to the question of what role and value a building can have within a city, beyond merely maximizing space. The hidden urban garden in the terraces, sunken spaces, and the open stairs facing the 6-meter road represent the first step toward this goal. The open staircases, surrounded by brick, create a direct connection between the basement level and the second floor, and the variety of patterns in the brick and the interplay of light offer an enjoyable journey through the building. The open terraces provide an expansive space toward the city, while the light filtering through the brick on the terrace on the fourth floor creates a secret garden within the city.
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