Architectural structure Paul Kwon

ARCH 241 Assignment 2

Korean-style traditional architecture

Prof. Pieter Sijpkes

McGill Faculty of Engineering

December 13th 2014

As France, Spain and United Kingdom have individuality although they are next to each other, China, Korea and Japan have their individual cultural developments. Traditional architecture can be an example of those individualities; the architecture of three different countries distinguishes itself from each other with some similarities. Korean traditional houses have been disappearing due to globalization and adaptation of Western modern architecture, but its natural and ancient science principles are modified and still used in Korea with the newer architecture from other cultures.

Korean-style traditional architecture is made with natural materials such as wood, soil, rocks, etc… The basic frame and form is made with wood and it is frame, post and lintel construction. Swallowing center stabilize the structure from vertical and horizontal load as well as from distortion in Korean style traditional house. The gravitational force of the roof is transferred to rafters – Dori(a wood lintel that support the rafters) – column – foundation stone – base. The place where rafters and Dori meet, the friction and reaction resist the gravitational force; Capital of the column has strong tensile force and resistance to horizontal force. Each pieces of frame have a specific proportion that is gained from a long historical engineering science experience.

Korean ancient wooden architecture has been divided into two categories, the pointed beam structure and Pojjip structure. Both structures falls into their subdivisions; the pointed beam structure falls into the square beam structure and a round beam structure while Pojjip structure falls into Jusimpo, Ikkong and Dapo structure systems. In pointed beam structure, a roof truss is put on a basic frame that is made with beams and lintels. This structure was used the most for private house or other simple architectures. Since it is the simplest form of structure in Korean ancient architecture, proportion of the length of the column and lintel was important. Pojip structure has been used in a recent history (started about from 1000 A.C), mostly for palaces or temples unlike pointed beam structure. Jusimpo shows an exciting feeling overall, Dapo is fancy and showy, while Ikkong is the most characteristic and individual Korean architecture. Ikkong structure exists only in Korea; it is the most developed structure in Korean traditional architecture aesthetically and functionally.

The fundamental steps of the construction of Korean-style traditional houses are similar to modern construction; the construction has about 6 steps. First, a decision making on the site considering the theory of divination based on topography is made upon an agreement of the architecture and the owner of the house. An exposure and arrangement are decided in this first basic step. Second step is the room arrangement plane. Unlike before where the position of the

door, rooms and kitchen has been decided according to myth of the cardinal points, the position is decided based on lifestyle and spatial consideration. Third step is the decision of the form. The decision among the pointed beam, Ikkong, Dapo and Jusimpo structures, which are explained in the previous paragraph, is made in this step taking nature of the building and the cost of the construction into account. Forth step is a designed section where we decide between 3 liang, 5 liang, and 7 liang.(picture below) Number of liang is decided based on height and spatial usage according to the plane plan. Fifth step is the roof plan where Matbae(gambrel roof), Paljak(gambrel roof also) and Woojingak(hip roof) are decided according to the plane shape of the house. The last step is the decision on proportion of elevation and on shape of windows and doors.

The basic foundation work can be either traditional or modern. The order of the traditional way of foundation work is, to skim primely topsoil in order to do a foundation excavation, which must be under the freezing line of the ground, then to add two layers of thick and little ripraps that are covered with wet sand later, and tramped at the end with other layer of ripraps. However, modern ways of foundation work use either plain concrete or reinforced concrete.

Then stylobate, which is above the ground under the main body of the structure, prevents the main body of the structure from being pushed out. The stylobate is often made with granite stones since most of Korean stone works are done with granite stones; mainly MunGyeong stone, Pocheon stone and Hwangdeung seok.

The size of the foundation stones depends on use and lifestyle of the building. Typical structures of the foundation stones are DeomBeong, rectangular, circular, trapezoidal, long columnar and GoMaeggi foundation. The foundation stones are necessary because they disperse the force received from columns to the stylobate. In Korean houses, or even in Chinese houses, the foundation stones normally have twice longer diameter than the column, but it is not an implicit rule.

Ondol is an essential structural system in Korean-style traditional houses. Ondol is a traditional floor heating system, which is still used nowadays in some of Korean modern architectures. Gorae is an underway path under the floor where smoke and heats from a fireplace pass. The position of Ondol is set when the basic structures are worked, but the construction starts with the interior finishing work. Traditionally, the classification of Ondol is one way, two ways, polystyle and multipath Ondol. The most important consideration in Ondol construction is setting the position of fireplace and chimney according to general direction of wind. After depositing the concrete on the floor, firebrick is stacked in about 1m from the base, and Gorae must be larger than 80cm in height and 30cm in width. When the stone is put over Gorae, mud (traditional) or cement mortar(modern) is plastered to cover everything. Plastering work must be really precise in order to prevent the smoke from leaking.

In column arrangement, the columns are leaning a bit inner, and corner columns are a bit higher than the other columns to prevent shedding phenomenon of the columns as well as optical illusion. There are different shapes in the columns: Mingidung, Minheullim gidung, or Baeheullim gidung. Mingidung has an uniform diameter in column while the upper diameter in Minheullim gidung has 1/100 smaller than the lower diameter. Baeheulim is similar to Minheulim, but it starts getting thicker at 1/3 from the ground.

Bo is a word used for roof beams in Korean architecture. The Bos, which transfer the weight to the columns, have specific divisions according to their position in the frame and also to their usage and shape. Bo also has specific proportion in its shape: girth is 1/8 ~ 1/12 of the total length of the Bo and width and length ratio of cross section is 1/sqrt(2) ~ 1:1.6. For upper parts of the Bo, which are the structures of the roof, it can be either the Trisected Proportion or the Quartered Proportion. The list of reasons why proportion work is important is:

- First, Dori’s position is decided here, that decide the height of the building.- Second, it decides the curve of the ridge of the roof - Third, the distance between Dori and rafters can be calculated, so that length of the rafter

and width of inner wall can be decided.

Since Korean traditional architecture is frame architecture, a small change in one section changes the whole architecture. Therefore it is important to calculate every detail beforehand using proportions.

Mulmae signifies the slope from the horizontal line. The slope has a strong relationship with environmental surrounding of the building but also the climate of region. Tiled roofs usually have a fall in at the middle of the inclined plan of the roof, to stabilize the roof and

beauty purpose. Also the slope changes depending on the size of the building in order to let the rain out as far as possible from the building.

For roofs, the material can be either Giwa(tile), straw, shingle or Oak Bark. Tiled roof was only used for higher people, and the tiles were mostly black and rarely blue. For other types of roofs, which were used for ordinary people, they had to change the roof once several years. The shape of the roof can be Matbae(gambrel roof), Paljak(gambrel roof also), Woojingak(hip roof), etc… Matbae is the simplest form of roof, two sides of the roof are facing each other and there are no side roofs on the other two sides. Matbae was normally used in a small storeroom or shrine. Woojingak is either trapezoidal or triangular shape depending on the viewpoints. It was used usually in a ordinary private houses; each sides of the roof meets at the ridge of the roof with inclined slope. Paljak is a similar shape to the Woojingak, but it is fancier and more stylish.

Maru is another characteristic of the Korean traditional architecture. Maru is an outer space under the roof to avoid summer heat and used as simple reception of a guest place. Depending on the way of making Maru and usage, Koreans call Maru with many different names. Some Maru have balustrade on the border, some do not. The main usage of the balustrade is to prevent people from falling, but it has also a decoration purpose. Some balustrades have extremely fancy patterns in it.

Surface of the walls in Korean traditional house have borders; Changhoji, a traditional Korean paper made from mulberry bark for doors and window, were stick on the borders. To plan the borders, characteristics, position, division, shape, open and shut method and material must be decided in order. By characteristics, we refer either the borders are for wall, window, or door. By position, it means whether circular, sliding or left*right*middle*sides of the wall. Division means whether to divide the section into one, two, three, four or six. After deciding these 3 facts, little details of border, door and window open and closing method, and either wood, soil, aluminium(modern). To add on the usage of Changhoji, changhoji is able to control the humidity, allows the natural light, but prevents strong sunlights as well as ultraviolet rays.

The construction of the ceiling has Yeondeung ceiling, well ceiling, paper ceiling, etc… Yeondeung ceiling means there is no such ceiling, therefore we can see the roof structures and the ceiling is high. For this reason, it was often used in kitchen or other spaces where people are usually standing up. Well ceiling is the most formal ceiling; the entire ceiling is lattice shape. Paper ceiling is basically just sticking the plywood on the ceiling, and cover it with paper. To prevent rust strain, when sticking plywood on the ceiling, people use copper nails.

Usage of loess is another feature of the ancient Korean architecture. Loess has much oxygen in it. Also, it has strong purification capacity as well as deodorization. Lastly, loess radiates a far-infrared radiation in a hot weather, which promotes blood circulation and metabolism in human body. Throughout the essay, the usage of soil can be replaced by loess, which was actually common.

In conclusion, Korean traditional architecture is made with natural materials such as wood, rocks, soil(or loess). The frame work was very scientific and each house could be customized in many ways with the same basic principle. There are some similarities between Korean, Chinese and Japanese ancient architecture, but Korean architecture has its individuality with such as Ondol, Ikkong structure, Maru, etc… Another characteristic of Korean culture is that Koreans do not wear shoes interior. Korea maybe the least known east-Asian country unlike Japan or China, but Korea has its own beauty and characteristics in its architecture and culture.

Sources

- Cho, JeonHwan. 한옥 설계에서 시공까지. Seoul: HanMunHwaSa, 2012. Print.- Proc. of Korean Historical Architecture Society, Seoul. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

All pictures are extracted from the book

- Cho, JeonHwan. 한옥 설계에서 시공까지. Seoul: HanMunHwaSa, 2012. Print.