Aewol Craft Shop & House by O Architects: Craft, Community, and Contemporary Living in Jeju

Located in the serene village of Aewol on Jeju Island, South Korea, Aewol Craft Shop & House by O Architects masterfully blends domestic life, artisanal craftsmanship, and the island’s architectural traditions. Designed by Jeongheon Oh and Sihi Kim, this 155 m² project is more than a home—it's a multigenerational dwelling, a furniture workshop, and a symbol of community integration.

Rooted in Vernacular Tradition

The project is set within a low-rise village landscape, where stone walls, tangerine fields, and single-story buildings quietly coexist. This unique context influenced the architects’ approach, where sensitivity to site and heritage formed the foundation. The design builds upon the owner’s family compound—originally composed of two tangerine storage warehouses and the parents’ home, structured with Jeju’s traditional Anchae (inner quarters) and Baggatchae (outer quarters).

By transforming one warehouse into a contemporary two-story residence and the other into a craft shop, the architects redefined the spatial program while maintaining a strong connection to place. This adaptive reuse honors Jeju’s architectural lineage and extends it toward new forms of living and making.

A Dialogue Between Life and Craft

The homeowner, a skilled furniture maker and owner of Stay in Grove craft shop, played a central role in shaping the architectural language of the house. Emphasizing material tactility and spatial harmony, the collaboration between the architects and the client yielded a design where architecture and furniture seamlessly converge.

Details such as precise window proportions, carefully aligned finishes, and custom metalwork showcase the meticulous attention to craftsmanship. The craft shop itself, renovated while preserving the original wood trusses, doubles as both a commercial space and a curated extension of the domestic interior—featuring the owner's handmade furniture throughout.

A Layered Spatial Narrative

The project unfolds as an architectural narrative—where boundary, memory, and community overlap. Visitors enter along the village’s Olle Trail, greeted by a recessed stone wall that creates a threshold between the public and the private. A small garden leads to the entrance of both the workshop and the residence, emphasizing openness and social permeability.

Inside, the first floor houses communal living areas that blur boundaries with the exterior. Semi-open spaces connect visually and physically to the surrounding tangerine fields. A transparent corridor links the craft shop to the residence, allowing light, moss, and natural elements to flow in between.

The second floor is reserved exclusively for the owner's family, offering elevated views of Halla Mountain and the Jeju landscape. Each room frames views toward the village and sky, balancing protection and openness. The bathroom, in particular, acts as a private sanctuary where one can gaze at the stars through a skylight while soaking in the tub—a poetic moment of stillness.

Architecture as Cultural Continuity

At its core, Aewol Craft Shop & House serves as a living framework that evolves with the needs of a multigenerational family. It weaves together past and present, craft and dwelling, individual identity and village life. The design doesn't simply house a family—it nurtures relationships, preserves memory, and invites the local community into its orbit.

The project redefines domestic architecture in rural Korea, offering a template for how contemporary design can enhance and sustain traditional ways of living. Through its tactile details, spatial layering, and contextual sensitivity, Aewol Craft Shop & House is both a deeply personal project and a culturally resonant architectural statement.

All Photographs are works of Joonhwan Yoon