Stone walls extend past the four volumes of this holiday home for an elderly couple near Seoul, designed by local studio OBBA to disguise when the residents are away.

OBBA, which stands for Office for Beyond Boundaries Architecture, were asked to design the holiday home by a couple who were moving back to South Korea after living abroad for a long time.
Located in Ganghwa County in the Incheon Metropolitan City north-west of Seoul, The Layers occupies a slender site measuring 86-by-25 metres.

Four staggered, different-sized blocks make up the one-storey building. Openings on the shorter sides provide vistas towards a mountain in the south and a reservoir in the north.
Thick walls extend past the full length of the volumes in order to block views from the western and eastern side, maintaining the residents' privacy.
"Considering it is a second house rather than their daily abode, it was designed to protect privacy, in order for the absence of the residents is inconspicuous," the architects explained.
"Also, since the house was for the elderly couple as the main users, we simplified the spatial structure, avoiding stairs or elevated parts."

The walls also create a series of sheltered garden areas ? the northern side is planted with trees, while the southern side hosts a fruit and vegetable patch.
Each of the volumes perform different functions. The entrance and the guest room are placed in the western block, while the study and the m...