Apartments for three generations of the same family are stacked inside this multi-storey house in Seoul, which features brick cladding that is perforated to create screens in front of some of the windows.

Dongsimwon house is located in the South Korean capital's densely populated Mok 2-dong, where poor quality multiplex buildings proliferate.
Sosu Architects was tasked with creating a contemporary take on this typology, which provides comfortable living spaces for the parents and their daughters' families.

The clients also insisted that the house should contribute to its context at the entrance to an alley, so its form and materiality are informed by its relationship with the adjacent buildings.
The six-storey structure occupies the maximum available footprint on the compact plot. As it extends upwards, the facades are cut away at different angles to comply with regulations regarding rights to light.
On the ground floor, a void at the front of the building provides parking spaces for the family. The recessed space also marks the entrance to a cafe situated on this level.
Concrete pillars support the upper storeys and tube lights incorporated into the ceiling of the parking area illuminate the space at night, creating a more engaging presence on the street.

The house's uniform brick facades are interrupted by openings that are partially concealed behind a perforated brick bond where a degree of privacy is required.
Inside the building, the levels above the ground-floor c...