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"Promise House was created with the intention of the owner to have their grown-up children, who have started families of their own, come back to live together in their parents' home. With five children, each having distinct needs and preferences, the main challenge for IF in designing this house was to create a space that fosters family connections while also providing individuality and privacy for each family member.

Given the narrow alley site in a business district, surrounded by buildings and lacking a view, we designed a central courtyard as a focal point. This courtyard, lush with greenery, is flanked by two buildings and visually connects to the family gathering space in the living room through the double-height glass facade of the front building. Additionally, the courtyard helps create privacy for the private bedrooms on the ground floor of the rear building.

Looking at the cross-section of the buildings, the main functions of the private rooms are stacked: the front building has three floors, and the rear building has two. The master bedroom of the parents, who are the homeowners, is located on the second floor of the rear building. This placement allows them to oversee the entire house, reflecting any parents' desire to always keep an eye on their children, which is different from the norm where the master bedroom is usually on the top floor.

Each bedroom is arranged with a buffer space to ensure privacy. For example, the parents' bedroom requires a walk down a long corridor from the living room to the rear building. Bedrooms on the third floor are accessed separately from the main staircase hall, without passing by other rooms.

Promise House is a home where we strive to balance the shared family space with the private areas for the large family, ensuring the best of both worlds.

While the functions of Promise House may seem straightforward, every room in this house is filled with special details derived from a unique design language that reflects the owner’s personality. The owner of this house, being in the jewelry business, gave IF the challenge: ""I want a house that has some character and isn't too plain."" Observing the owner's character, we noticed a meticulous attention to detail, such as preferring simple attire with special little touches. This inspired us to create a design language that adds a unique charm to the house.

IF chose ""beveled lines"" as the main motif of the house, reminiscent of the facets of a cut diamond. The staircase in the central hall prominently features large diagonal lines, with two sections positioned at angles to each other. We used black color for the staircase to make it stand out against the white high-ceilinged living room, turning the staircase into a sculptural diagonal element in an 8-meter high space—a standout feature of the house. 

These beveled lines are subtly incorporated throughout the house, adding special touches to seemingly straightforward elements. From the entryway design to the details of the woodwork, the recurring diagonal lines create a cohesive overall design that reflects the owner's preference for simplicity with a touch of sophistication in every detail."