12 Buildings in South Korea With Stunning Brick Exterior Design

The use of bricks as a building material has been used for a long time. The construction of bricks itself has succeeded in making magnificent and famous buildings in Turkey, Egypt, Rome, and Greece. The most famous bricks themselves are red bricks which are still often seen in some cities in Europe.

Bricks are sometimes still considered traditional materials that form buildings to be rigid. But the bricks themselves have managed to develop over time. Even some famous buildings such as Dr Chau Chak Wing, Frank Gehry in Sydney and Tate Modern Switch House from Herzog & de Meuron use brick material on their unique facades.

South Korea managed to present a building with a dark brick façade giving a heavy, brutal, but still pleasant feel. The country's architects are already experimenting with bricks so as to display dynamic, curved, flowing facades. Here are 12 buildings with attractively arranged brick facades.

1. MU:M Office Building

MU:M is an English language education company building. The company has an owl logo on a yellow background. It means adventure, challenge and passion. Impressed by this logo, the architect also made it an inspiration to design his building. Based on the formation of a nest that the architect wanted to introduce as a comfortable resting place for owls. The building was completed with a shape that seemed to blend naturally with the ground surface.

The whole building is covered by black bricks. The building has a twisted rectangular shape and the entrance consists of a distorted surface making it difficult to distinguish the front and back. A window of 2m x 2m is installed as an opening to strengthen the open atmosphere. To reduce excessive light on its upper floors, the architect installed a window sill that can be closed. With twisted shapes and repeating wall motifs give rhythm to the black building so it doesn't look plain.

2. 'The Rock' Sangsu-dong Office

The landform of this building is like a pointing hand. In the palm of his hand, the building was erected while on the index finger it was used as an entrance. The building can be accessed via the lower or upper pathways, but the main entrance is at the very top of the building.

The building consists of 4 floors of office buildings and a flat roof of the building that is used as an open terrace. Brick material plays an important role in the façade of the building. To make the building not feel monotonous, the color of the bricks on the top building with the bottom is made differently. Plus the transformation of the shape of the building that is deconstructed makes the bricks look flexible because it can follow the formation of the façade.

3. The Ziffer

Four-story buildings with various functions, standing individually but giving interest to the ground floor. By providing glass coverage and columns on the ground floor gives the impression of openness. Its uniqueness does not stop at that part. Parks located in the corners of buildings make this area blend into the environment without feeling boring.

The Ziffer does take inspiration from the formation of the letter Z which is interpreted as a unifying barrier between public and private spaces. Each floor is installed with folding doors behind the walls of the building structure to protect the space inside from the cold weather in Korea.

4. Two Courtyard House + Bridge 130 Cafe

This building area is located on the famous main road leading to Ssanggyesa temple. It consists of two buildings, namely Courtyard House and Cafe Bridge 130. Provides a natural feel with beautiful scenery such as cherry blossoms and surrounding parks.

The wide openings in the building are supported by gray brick construction. Provide tranquility and stability to the region. Not only is the opening wide, but even this brick wall can follow the curved rhythm of the building.

5. SJ Office Building

Samjung is a company that has expanded its business wings with 30 years of experience. Therefore, the concept of this building itself is a building segment consisting of traditional bricks stacked material, expressing the company's concept that has developed over time.

The combination of black brick, glass, and wood on the window shading is neat and beautiful. Each side of the building is designed differently because it follows the direction of solar lighting. So it has a different finish for each wall.

6. B' House

There are two residential houses in this area. The homeowner plans to live with his parents in the countryside, so the architect designed a house that prioritizes the needs of its users in both houses.

The architect also focused on three main points, namely how the lifestyle can be reflected in the appearance of the two houses, how to combine the two houses naturally and how to provide privacy to each homeowner.

The house for his son was given an all-white color with white brick scopes. While at his parents' house with black brick color. Different shapes and colors blend together with the courtyard between the two houses. Not to forget also as an area divider, a high wall of black brick also covers the area of this house. Not with solid walls, the arrangement of bricks with small holes in the parapet makes the area more open.

7. Blooming House with Wild Flowers

By leaving a mini garden in the house area, the architect managed to renovate the old house to look antique and magnificent. Some parts are inspired by the appearance of an old palace in Korea, namely Suwon Hwaseong Fortress.

The color arising from the bricks gives the impression of old and sturdy. White to black gradation colors appear on the exterior of buildings naturally.

8. Kangaroo House

As the name suggests, this house is conceptualized from kangaroo animals. Where kangaroos always carry their children in their pockets. The function is similar. This residential house is a formation of a house in which there are two families in it. Uniquely designed with a combination of wood and black brick as a separator for the house.

For the color of black bricks is the house of parents. While the color of wood is part of the child's home. So that the privacy of both families is still fulfilled in this house. The unique and beautiful façade is formed attractively by the black brick that surrounds the house.

9. ABC Building

This 5-story building is formed like mountains. The further up, the smaller and the top provides a beautiful urban view. The road leading to the top of the building is also open to the public through stairs in an alley made right behind the brick façade. 

The selection of black brick material is very dominant in this building. Black brick material represents respect for the historic garden. The building has a layered black brick façade. Steel structures are also found in the arrangement of black brick facades stacked without mortar. Thus creating a solid and transparent space on both different sides.

10. The Curving House

The house has a flexible-looking shape with arches. It is enclosed by traditional gray brick material arranged according to a certain angle. The bricks are also coated with a waterproof silver color. Silver gives a sentimental color indicating a change in color from the base of the building to the top. With two different planes, the bricks are arranged at an angle of 1° to 25°.

Variations of the angle of brick arrangement are a way to show the shape of the façade of the house. The shadows formed when illuminated by the sun show flowing lines showing the texture of the façade. The formation of these different facades will expose the entire building from various perspectives.

11. Pixel House

This pixel house has a shape that reminds us of a pixel in the design. Pixel or pixel is the smallest point in an image calculated per inch. With an uneven shape at the top of the house resembling an image pixel.

This pixel shape is not only visible at the top of the building but throughout the building. At the curved back of the building, the bricks are arranged orthogonally and make the bricks protrude out of the building. The combination of two forms of flat and orthogonal contours can also be seen from the arrangement of bricks.

12. Marimba House

For the latter house is designed as a residence and also a percussion music studio. The house consists of three floors that have three different exterior facades. On the ground floor is covered with brown wood material, then on the second floor there is an arrangement of gray bricks that give the impression of solid and closed. Then the top floor is covered by orange-painted walls.

The shape of the cube on the second floor consists of rooms and terraces. The shape is made to adjust the shape of the roof as well. On the roof of this floor there is a skylight. Brick material is indeed used in the surrounding environment as well. This house looks neat, beautiful, and also sturdy and contrasts with other scopes.

Source: Eksterior Batu Bata