Villecot

Villecot is situated gently on one side of the road leading to Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak. Unlike other beaches on windy Jeju that have rough waves, Villecot has a calmer atmosphere with fewer waves. Sitting on the border between the unfamiliar Jeju sea and Jeju island, with Siksanbong Peak and Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak stretching out towards the sea and Mt. Halla panorama on the other side, we were inspired to form three circular masses derived from geographical features of Jeju. The end result is an integration of topography and architecture. The client planned to live with their parents, but each generation, including the parents, the client, and their children, required their own living space. Villecot conceived the idea of having separate, independent residential spaces, primarily inspired by Jeju’s traditional residential spaces, ankeori and bakkeori — dialects of the Korean words “anchae” (main building) and “bakkatchae” (outbuilding). Surrounded by beautiful nature, the main design called for Jeju’s scenery to permeate the space. Everyone would be able to see the Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak if the family room and living room were converted into bakkeori, while each generation’s independent space became ankeori. The intended entry sequence of the residence begins with winding stairs connecting the first and second floors and leads to the living room with a view of Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak. This living room allows each generation to enter their own space and exit to the rooftop via separate external stairs. The spatial experience of the public areas was also arranged, beginning with the circular building, moving through the garden, and finally approaching the sea lower than the ground to provide emotional rest. Prioritising harmony with the natural surroundings, the design evolved naturally to emphasise the contrast between the transparency of the glass windows and the solidity of Jeju’s representative material, basalt. The basalt brick facade is resistant to pollution due to Jeju’s rainy and windy climate, and its colour also presents uniformity with black window frames. Red Dot Award: Design Concept | Ready to Launch | Architecture