The historical transition visible through Gangnam’s building typologies showcases rapid growth and change. As a result, we felt that the urban tissue of the city showcased interesting moments of contrasting ideas. Addressing the question of density led to an interest to understand the role of height, transparency, and volume expressed by the existing buildings with each other and themselves. Using the metaphor of an engulfing cloud allows the extension of existing living spaces into residual spaces which would now as serve communal purposes, blurring the line between some of these concepts. Notions such as public-private, open-intimate, and exterior-interior become no longer opposites but lie in a hybrid state.
The relationship between different buildings generates interesting moments which we could understand as the generation of different microclimates. Height, depth, orientation, and their various combinations create micro-contexts that can allow the application of tailored interventions in the living block with the intent to build upon the inherent qualities, consequently forming an interesting Gangnam vernacular. Figuratively and literally, past buildings happen to lie dormant in the shadows of newer development projects.
By reimaging the spaces outside inwards, elements such as circulation transition from purely functional elements into moments of exploration. Two buildings which were once estranged from each other, hidden in the shadows of other surrounding contexts are able to create a living pocket at the heart of the city. The relationship with the space extends all the way to the articulating facades bringing light and ventilation in order to create a new microclimate.