seoul | south korea · pdf fileseoul, south korea general information ... glass are used on...

Seoul, South KoreaGeneral Information

Logan Merrill David Wilson

Local Design Principles for Global Construction

U.S. Department of State Overseas Building Office University of Virginia School of ArchitectureSystems, Sites and Building, Fall 2014

Seoul, South Korea

-Current Population: 10,208,302 (2009) -One of the largest cities in the world and is the headquarters for multiple international companies such as LG, Samsung, Hyundai, and Kia. -Generates 20% of Korea’s GDP. -Known for population density which is approximately 44, 776 people per square mile -The city is split in half by the Han River. -Seoul is divided into 25 districts called gu. Each gu has its own system of government and is further divided into separate neighborhoods called a dong. -Seoul’s climate is considered both humid subtropical and humid continental. The summers are hot and humid while the win ters are cold and dry. The East Asian Monsoon also has a very direct effect on Seoul’s weather from June through July.

Seoul | South Korea

Seoul, South KoreaClimate Informaiton

Logan MerrillDavid Wilson



I. Climate

a. Temperature - Assuming a comfort zone of 68-75 degrees Fahrenheit, daytime temperatures will rise above comfort levels only during the summer months. - Temperatures fall below comfort levels from October to May, with recorded temperatures as low as 10-20 degrees in the winter months. - Due to Seoul’s high latitude, the position of the sun varies greatly. During the summer solstice, the altitude of the sun reaches its peak at 76 degrees. At noon during the winter solstice, it is positioned 29 degrees above the horizon. b. Wind - The city is subject to moderate winds throughout the year, from all directions. - Wind is most desirable during the summer months for ventilation and cooling. During these months, prevailing winds come from the south. These winds, however, bring warm air, so they are not useful for cooling a space. The coolest, most helpful wind during this time comes from the north.

Seoul, South KoreaVernacular Precedent




II. Vernacular Precedent a. Traditional Solutions to Climate - Korea has a rich vocabulary of vernacular design techniques. Most of these elements can be seen in the traditional housing form, known as the hanok, or “the breathing house.” - For centuries, Koreans have used a design principle called “ondol” or “warming the stone.” Traditionally, homes are heated from below a hard stone floor. Rather than producing heat specifically for this purpose, it is common to use the heat produced by a fire in the kitchen. The high mass of stone ensures that this temperature increase will remain long after the fire is quenched. - The temperature swings of the region have been handled in the past by utilizing a transformative property in buildings. Instead of building with defined walls and windows, Korean vernacular often includes doors which can be closed (mak ing a wall) or opened (a window) depending on the desired effects on the indoor climate. b. Public perception - The heating of the floor in Korean vernacular is not coincidence. In addition to heating the whole house via convection, it ensures a warm floor via conduction. This is because the floor is an important space in local culture. It is used for eat ing, sleeping, and gathering with family or friends. - Seoul was founded using pungsu, the Korean version of the more well-known fengshui. Although this tradition has faded in the modern age, it should still be considered when trying to connect to a culture and its surrounding environ ment. - The hanok often includes an open courtyard in the center. This serves as a functional space for washing and drying clothes, storage, and other utilitarian needs.

Seoul, South KoreaDiagrams




These diagrams illustrate the flows of heat and air through a traditional home in the hanok style. On the right, you can see the many entry points for winds. Warm wind comes from the south, while cool wind comes from the north. The east-ern and western sides take on a more closed form, since they do not recieve as much wind. Note that the wind enters through doors that can be opened and closed easily, rather than windows. The diagram on the right shows sunlight coming in from the south as well as breeze from the north and floor heating from underneath the house. Usually, the sun would be allowed to pass through the roof in certain places via an open courtyard in the center of the plan.

Seoul, South KoreaContemporary Precedent | The Yellow Diamond




III. Contemporarty Precedent

The Yellow Diamond

The Yellow Diamond is a project that was constructed in Seogyo, Seoul, South Korea in August 2007 – June 2010. This structure was designed by Jun Mitsui & Associates Architects and Unsangdong Architects. The Yellow Diamond was designed for and constructed on a triangular lot. It is situated between adjacent universities that also occupy this area of Seogyo. The exterior façade is comprised of glass that alternates in color as well as opacity. Yellow-shaded glass consumes the majority of the exterior and is contrasted with clear glass. The clear glass allows for a great deal of transparency into this space from the exterior as well as out of this space from the interior. The shaded glass allows for filtered light to enter the space. The clear glass would allow light to enter during the winter months when the temperature becomes cooler. The yellow glass would filter the harsh sunlight during the summer months. This as-pect of the building presents a very strong tie to the historical vernacular of Seoul. The culture of Seoul would traditionally incorporate thin paper-like material into their building designs as a way to control and filter the light that would enter a space. The Yellow Diamond is grounded by a floor that consists primarily of concrete. Traditional designs also incorporated dense ground materials. The Yellow Diamond is currently used primarily for shop, office, and hall space.

Seoul, South KoreaDiagrams




The diagrams above show the orientation of the structure on- site, sun path, and wind direction. This structure is oriented on a north-south axis. It receives direct sunlight in the morning from the east and in the evening from the west. Different types of glass are used on all facades to filter natural light. This material change allows this space to be warmed by sunlight in the win-ter and also allows the light to be filtered during the summer.

Seoul, South KoreaSources




Sources:

“Jun Mitsui & Associates Architects: Yellow Diamond - Designboom | Architecture & Design Magazine.” Designboom. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.

“Ten Facts About of Seoul, South Korea.” About. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.

“Yellow Diamond, Seogyo Building - E-architect.” Earchitect RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.

“Hanok House.” Visit Korea, N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.

“Hanok (Traditional Korean House) - a place of subtle beauty and quiet dignity.” Antique Alive. N.p. n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014

Perera, Nihal, and Wing-shing Tang. Transforming Asian Cities: Intellectual Impasse, Asianizing Space, and Emerging Trans-localities. London: Routledge, 2013. Print.

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