What does Medusa’s house look like?
An apartment is an assemblage of spaces that reflect the characteristics of residents, not a homogenous aggregation of spaces. As the space shows the demands and styles of the residents, the resident space is changed and appropriated by them.
I aim to explore how homes are characterized and appropriated through the fictional spatial design.
John Hejduk and Medusa
“House of the Medusa” is based on
an architect “John Hejduk”
Hejduk’s approach was steeped in metaphor and storytelling, creating spaces and forms that were often more figurative than practical. He believed that architecture was not just about building spaces for people to inhabit, but about constructing ideas, memories, and even narratives. His work often explored liminal spaces between reality and fiction. His architecture was sometimes deliberately impractical, focusing instead on the emotional or symbolic experience of space.
Therefore, I utilized John Hejduk’s design philosophy in this project to realize the spatial design for the fictional client.
Grids and Spatial Order
Hejduk was deeply influenced by the modernist ideals and aesthetic principles that Mondrian defended in his paintings. Hejduk similarly employed grids as a conceptual tool, like Mondrian, both in the layout of his architectural plans and in his broader thinking about space. His use of grids wasn’t just structural; it was symbolic, a way to mediate between order and chaos, between the human and the abstract.
By using the grids, the first section of the house is formed. The grids are used to create walls and pillars which show the characteristics of the Medusa existing between a human and a monster.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Living Room/Room 2 -> Room 1 -> (Passage) -> Main Room ->
(Passage) ->
Room 3
The first section consists of three zonings. Space 1(Room 1), Space 2 (Room 2 and 3), and Living Room. The second section consists of a main room. Although each space seems to be divided by the wall, the sections are connected circularly and sequentially.
A house should have a clear division between private and public spaces. Therefore, the movement in the house moves according to the degree of privacy.
(1), (2), and (3) are living rooms, which are very public areas where visitors and Medusa can move freely. (2-1); Room 2 and (4); Room 1 are separate spaces from the living room with slightly more privacy. Starting from (5), only Medusa can enter, where the private spaces begin. (5) and (9) serve as connecting passages. (6), (7), and (8) are Medusa’s main rooms. (10) is Medusa’s most private space, positioned at the end of the movement.
Very Public (1), (2), (3) → Public (2-1), (4) → Private (6), (7), (8) → Very Private (10)
Snake Burrow
In the house, each room is structured based on the form of a snake’s burrow, reflecting Medusa’s half-snake characteristics. Each room is independent and doesn’t interfere with other rooms. It is as if the snake’s burrow underground is not a single house but an assembly of rooms.
Section 1
Home within home
Eaves were installed above the doors and windows to create the sense that entering
Spaces 1 and 2 are not simply entering a room but stepping into a distinct home within a home
—an independent, unique space. To reinforce this distinction, a smooth and reflective green color material was chosen, contrasting against the walls’ texture and color. This thoughtful use of differing materials and colors adds character to the space, enhancing its sense of independence.
Pillars, tall columns nearly reaching the ceiling, highlight the floor height of the living room. Through the pillars, it is recognizable to realize that the living space is void and very public.
Stairs and Passages
In this house, there are no stairs, unlike normal dwelling houses. Namely, only creatures with the legs of a snake, which means a snake’s smooth body shape, can move around between spaces. The passages for Medusas only exist in there.
The passages serve as transitional spaces, positioned between publicity and privacy, linking the shift of each room’s privacy levels. As neutral elements, the passages’ half-transparent and tensile material indicates their(passages) role as flexible spaces connecting the rooms.
Section 2
The wall dividing Section 1 and Section 2 exists as a neutral entity that marks the threshold between public and private spaces. Along with passages, it forms a triangular configuration, representing a moment of the hypotenuse. Although the hypotenuse is the first thing visible upon entering the house, it has no perceptible “face”, creating a sense of unfamiliarity by leaving what lies beyond uncertain. This front-facing yet faceless element challenges the conventional concept of an ordinary home.