The buyer who commissioned Hoon to build the unique residence hoped for a home “to reflect a sense of protectiveness and defensiveness,” Dornob reports. Hoon was simultaneously tasked with creating an indoor space that would be fun for a young child. Ultimately, the architect engineered a design that “manifests [its] hidden identity” as a superhero in the form of an owl, with a turned head that overlooks some of the city’s most spectacular views. A number of private outdoor spaces can be found behind the owl’s “wings,” whereas a glass entryway separates the bird’s two “feet.”
The home is inundated with windows, but with strategically placed setbacks and cuts, the house features plenty of shady areas both inside and out. While the lowest level is designed as a commercial space (ostensibly for the home buyer’s business), the upper levels of the home are meant for common space and bedrooms. The head of the owl, for example, houses the child’s bedroom and playroom, as well as the master bedroom and dressing room.
There’s a library on the floor directly underneath, whereas an open-plan kitchen, dining room, and living room are on the lower floor. With a finished product like this, it’s no wonder that Moon Hoon has been called “the king of playful architecture.” For more of the architect’s incredible work, you can check out his website here.
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