Blindwhale is a private rental house located in Jocheon, Jeju. Jocheon is a village with a long history. The village’s name means “a place where sailors wait for the gentle wind.” Following the other projects, Zeroplace and Creative House, architectural studio Z_Lab has rendered Jeju’s traditional stone house into an emotive stay where guests can feel the beauty of Jeju by reproducing its original form in Jocheon, Jeju.

The rainy and windy climate of Jeju has significant influence when building a house. In Jeju dialect, the locals say they are getting 'hit by the rain' when it is raining. Such expression was derived from Jeju's common weather where the rain rushes sideways due to the heavy wind, indicating the mighty force of rainstorms in Jeju. The stone walls that are stacked in a way to let the wind flow smoothly through the gaps between the bricks, the tall height of the walls which only allows people to barely see the roof of the house, and the shape of the roof that curves gently, are all wisdom of life to minimize the impact of the wind. It was the aim of Blindwhale to make most of such elements to build a house that expresses the essence of Jeju most closely.

Seeking to preserve the original essence of a typical Jeju stone house, the the low ceilings and uneven stone walls were preserved. However, modern-style windows were installed to bring in the views of the surrounding village and seascape. The old materials from such as doors and floors have been refurbished and reconverted into furniture to make tables and beds. Various efforts and procedures have been administered to preserve the values of Jeju Stone House, creating an opportunity for the staying guest to rediscover the true qualities of Jeju.

Edited by STAYFOLIO
Designed by Z_Lab
Photo by Kim Jae-kyung, Lee Byeong-geun