Video: Daemokjang, Traditional Wooden Architecture
Explore the process of constructing a traditional Korean home and its significance.
The Korean Peninsula is home to one of the most beautiful and durable traditional architectural styles in the world. A contrast in simplicity and ornate decoration, each hanok, or traditional Korean structure, is a carefully planned masterpiece, meant to stand strong for centuries. But who builds these houses, and how does a hanok come together? Read on to find out more and watch a short video.
What is a Hanok?
Hanok typically refers to the traditional houses and other buildings of the Korean Peninsula. While styles differ regionally, most possess a few common traits. Many hanok contain an inner courtyard, a space designed for the enjoyment and privacy of the family. They also feature raised wooden floors, beneath which an ondol heating system warms the home from below in winter. Paper walls within wood framing encourage healthy ventilation in summer and are easily replaced. The hanok has been studied in the 21st century as an example of an eco-friendly home that remains comfortable through all four seasons.
Comparing Chinese and Korean Architecture
Korean architecture shares many similarities with Chinese styles, but it has developed its own characteristics as well. Both cultures carefully consider the location of the house before placing it, a highly respected practice known as geomancy. They also both use distinctive tiled roofs. However, traditional Korean buildings tend to avoid the bright paints, often red, favored in China. Korean hanok instead employ more subtle shades in white, gray, and wood tones.
Dancheong
Some notable exceptions to this rule are Buddhist temples and palaces. Special buildings like these may be painted with green, blue, gold, black, and red decorations called dancheong. You can see an example of this style below:
Building a Hanok
Once a favorable house site has been selected, the process of constructing a hanok begins. First, a stone foundation is put in place. Master craftsmen known as daemokjang, overseeing carpenters, then carefully prepare each board, pillar, roof beam, and decorative piece needed for the home. Each piece interlocks into a tightly calculated whole, creating a structure that is both sturdy and ornamental. From there, the roof is tiled and the interior furnished, finishing with a cozy home.
This video from UNESCO shows the process of the daemokjang in greater detail. Building hanok is a traditional skill still practiced in South Korea, but it must be preserved even as most South Korean households have embraced more modern housing styles. The value of the hanok as a sustainable style of housing is being increasingly recognized: perhaps we will see a resurgence in the future?
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