Sob
A Home with an Awesome Pergola
Single-Family House in Ulju-gun, Ulsan
Location: Ulju-gun, Ulsan, South Korea
Program: Single-family House
Total Floor Area: 144.25 m²
Structure: Light Wood Frame
Exterior Finishes: Cement Brick, Stucco, Timber Cladding
Construction: Manbul Construction
Photography: Joonhwan Yoon
EBS Architecture Explorers – "Manhwari cano,"
a House with Holes that Embrace Nature
The Story of a Single-Family House in Ulju-gun
Designed during my time at Rieul-dorang Architects
At the time of the project commission, more and more people were moving to Manhwa-ri, Dudong-myeon, Ulju-gun, in search of a slower, countryside life.
In this place where mountains and fields were being cleared to create new house sites, homes began to appear one by one, each built in its own way and telling its own story. Together, they formed a quiet and unfamiliar sense of harmony in the evolving landscape.
The site we were entrusted with sat right at the center of that change. The house planned for that land needed to reflect the everyday life of a family filled with care and affection.
Rather than simply dividing space and assigning functions, we aimed to design a home where the way of living together and the subtle relationships between family members could naturally take root.
Site
Site Map
Site Images
The site is located in a village in Ulju-gun, Ulsan.
In recent years, young couples who had been living in the city began moving in one by one, gradually bringing a fresh atmosphere to the area.
The surrounding land was still undergoing active development, and the village landscape was quickly changing along with the flow of transformation.
Client Survey for the House
Building a house for oneself is fundamentally different from a typical development project.
Unlike multi-unit housing, a single-family home may have lower real estate value,
but it carries one clear distinction: it is designed for a specific person or family.
That is why we believe the design should begin with the lives and stories of those who will live there.
Even after signing a design contract, many clients find it difficult to express what kind of home they truly want, or what kind of life they hope to live in it.
So before starting the design process, we gave them a small book along with a simple questionnaire.
Rather than asking "What kind of house do you want to live in?"
we wanted to ask, "How do you want to live?"
Client (Husband)
Client (Wife)
Design Keywords from the Client Survey
Through the questionnaire the clients filled out,
it became clear why this couple wanted to build and live in a home of their own.
Above all, they hoped this house would become a place where their time together as a family could grow deeper and more varied.
At the time, they were preparing to move from an apartment to a single-family house, and naturally,
they had high expectations for the outdoor space.
They imagined opening the living room doors and stepping right into the yard,
where everyday life could flow outward and connect with nature.
The husband pictured a pergola he could use throughout all seasons.
He wanted a space where he could work, take breaks, and let the children play freely.
He called it his "ultra super awesome pergola."
The wife, meanwhile, remembered the narrow alleyways in front of her childhood home.
She wished for a space that felt like their own small playground, filled with personal memories.
What mattered most to both of them was that this house would not be just another typical home.
They were determined to build something that reflected their own way of living.
Ultra super awesome pergola
Small alleyway!
Our own playground!
Ultra super awesome pergola
a memory-laden alley
a playground that embraces the family
like a gentle fence
Design Concept
housing & pergola
Typical House and Pergola Layout
housing x pergola
How We Imagined the Ultra Super Awesome Pergola
As we followed the memories and emotions shared by the clients, we began shaping the form of the house step by step.
One of the most important decisions we made was to merge the pergola with the house.
Pergolas are usually planned as separate outdoor structures, set apart from the main building.
But in this case, we chose to integrate it into the architecture as a seamless part of the whole.
By doing so, we believed the pergola could serve a wider variety of functions within everyday life.
파고라 내부 에서 바라본 모습
Super Awesome Pergola House
Concept Diagram of the Merged House and Pergola
From the outside, the house appears to be a simple, unified structure.
But once you step inside, the house and the pergola connect seamlessly, creating a continuous flow.
Within that space, the family can gather, rest, share time together, or simply enjoy quiet moments alone.
The pergola serves many roles. It is a yard, a living room, a roof, and a soft canopy of shade.
Above all, it acts as a gentle threshold that connects the indoors with the outdoors.
The atmosphere of this pergola was inspired by the wife’s childhood memories.
She recalled the small alleyway in front of her childhood home, where the sound of footsteps and laughter echoed among friends, and shadows danced along the walls.
We wanted to create a space that held the same feeling, and hoped that the children growing up here would also build their own memories in this place.
That is why the pergola was not designed as a simple resting spot.
It was imagined as a long, winding path, like a quiet alley that unfolds over time.
With each step, the view subtly changes. Light and shadow shift throughout the day,
and within that gentle movement, we hoped to create a space where one might pause and settle into a moment of stillness.
This pergola, this alley-like space, has now become deeply rooted in the family’s daily life.
Even on the busiest days, it offers a place to pause, to reflect, and to gently cross into memory.
Design Process Snapshot
Creating this kind of scene was more difficult than we expected.
When we designed this house, we weren’t just thinking about the floor plan.
We thought about how nature would change over time
the direction of the breeze as it passed through
the scent of the seasons coming in through the window
and the way sunlight and shadows would fall across the yard.
We imagined each of these moments carefully and drew the space while picturing the life that would unfold within it.
Floor Plan
From the outside, the house may seem somewhat closed off,
but once you step inside, you find a structure that gently embraces nature.
It was designed to block outside views while still allowing the yard, sky, breeze, and sunlight
to flow naturally into every corner of the home.
You might say the house is solid on the outside, but open at its core.
We hoped it would become a quiet space where the family’s daily life could continue, fully connected to nature.
Section
We designed the house so that the shifting temperature of the air and the subtle changes in the scenery
could quietly seep into the family’s everyday life.
We hoped these changes would not just be a backdrop but act as gentle prompts for conversation and connection among family members.
That is why we created spaces where people could sit face to face and talk,
and considered an open layout where each person’s presence could be quietly felt throughout the home.
Client Design Meeting Day
As the day we had promised with the client approached, we spent a whole week working day and night.
With the completed design in hand, we visited the client’s home, our hearts beating with anticipation.
This time, we had prepared only one proposal.
Usually, we present several options, but this time we felt there was no need.
Through the questionnaire, we could clearly feel what kind of home the client was hoping for.
Because we believed this design fully captured that feeling,
we felt that presenting just one plan would be the most honest answer.
When we first presented the model to the client, they looked surprised, as if the design was something they hadn’t expected.
To be honest, it was a fairly experimental attempt for us as well, so that reaction didn’t come as a surprise.
We took our time, explaining the story behind the design step by step.
After listening quietly to everything, the client smiled and said softly,
"This is really good."
The client told us later that they were so surprised by the design that day,
they said “I like it” almost out of shock.
But in truth, they spent the next few days looking at the model over and over again.
As they kept coming back to it, they began to sense the intentions and flow behind the design,
and eventually, they said they were drawn in even more.
From then on, it felt as if we were truly in sync,
and the single-family house project moved forward quickly and with confidence.
Initial Design Render
The initial design involved creating a custom formwork for exposed concrete to express texture on the facade.
However, considering the construction complexity and the potential increase in cost, we later adjusted the plan in a more practical direction.
Final Design Rendering
In the revised plan, we chose to maintain the distinctive texture of concrete,
but adjusted the material to cement bricks, which allowed for easier construction and greater budget stability.
Although the material changed, we hoped to preserve the atmosphere and intent the space was originally meant to carry.
More than anything, we could truly feel the client's thoughtfulness and trust throughout the process of change.
That experience didn’t just help the project move forward.
It became a quiet but meaningful moment where trust between us grew even stronger.
3D Modeling of Light Wood Frame Structure for Quantity Estimation
Interior Rendering
To realize the design as fully as possible within a limited budget,
we carefully calculated material quantities and worked closely with the contractor through a process of value engineering.
After going through that process step by step, we were finally able to begin construction in earnest.
A Korean traditional ceremony held at the start of construction to pray for safety and success
Let’s keep it safe.
Thank you.
Bad luck, be gone!
Although it was a small house, we held a traditional Korean ritual to pray for safety and a successful build.
Site Supervision
There were many challenges, both big and small, throughout the construction process, and some moments were quite tense.
However, through smooth communication with the contractor, we were able to resolve each issue one by one,
which allowed the project to be completed without significant delays.
Above all, we sincerely appreciate Mr. Kim Hyo-chan, CEO of Manbul Construction,
for his unwavering dedication and support throughout the process.
Lighting Test and Photography
Finally, here is the moment of the lighting test and photography before the official approval.
We are also deeply grateful to Joonhwan Yoon, the photographer, for his passionate work, even lying on the floor to get the perfect shots.
