PARANG is a minimal home located in Seoul, South Korea, designed by CHOU. Where most homes position the living room as a familial nucleus—a place of shared relaxation and togetherness—here we find a bold departure: a space conceived not as private sanctuary but as public platform. This conceptual inversion forms the foundation of a design that ripples outward, transforming conventional notions of domestic architecture into something more fluid, adaptable, and culturally responsive.

The name itself—PARANG (波浪/wave)—reveals the project’s essence. Like water responding to wind, this living space morphs between three distinct programmatic identities: art museum, tea room, and restaurant bar. This tripartite arrangement reflects a sophisticated understanding of how contemporary living requires spaces to perform multiple functions without sacrificing coherence or integrity.

In its museum configuration, the space employs opaque windows that simultaneously block exterior views while creating controlled illumination conditions—a technical solution that transforms domestic architecture into a gallery-like environment where objects can be appreciated with curatorial precision. The materiality here serves both functional and aesthetic purposes, with marble surfaces introducing wave-like textures that visually reinforce the project’s conceptual foundation.

The tea room programming introduces another layer of transformability. When its opaque partitions remain closed, the space becomes an intimate chamber for contemplative ritual. Yet with a simple adjustment—opening these boundaries—the area expands dramatically, demonstrating how thoughtful design can create environments that breathe and respond to changing needs.