Hanok
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- [Written by Kim Jang-gwon (representative of Bukchon HRC)]
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Hanok(Korean traditional houses) have long been built on the soil of the Korean peninsula. A hanok has a framework involving a stylobate (a stepped platform as the foundation of the structure) at the bottom, and the placement of wooden pillars, beams, rafters and titles at the top.
Why are people talking about the past hanok again today? Well, there are many advantages of the hanok. Hanok are beautiful and that beauty is natural. They are not to be filled with many things, but to remain as less occupied as possible.
The garden is filled with light, and the breezes add to its coziness. The sky above the garden is wide open, a patch of clouds and a bird in the air would suffice. As such, hanok look to harmonize with the natural surroundings.
Also, hanok are scientific. The stylobate protects wooden structures from insects and humidity. The length of the eves varies from one region to another - northern, middle and southern regions. Due to a difference in the meridian altitude of the winter solstice and the summer solstice, the varying lengths of the eves are intended to screen or allow in the light.
- A hanok consists of the floor space and the room area. Rooms have ondol or a heating system. Ondol is the heating the floor of a room from underneath with firewood, etc. The ondol floor is used to heat the room in winter, and to avoid moisture and heat in summer.
Hanok are made using only natural materials, such as earth, stone, and wood. They can thus remain eco-friendly and recyclable. No non-disposable wastes come from hanok.
- Another strength of the hanok is its a ability to “contain light.” Indoors, windows and doors covered with Korean paper serve as an indirect lighting, which creates diverse colors and beauty. Hot air comes from the front garden, and cool air flows in from the backyard. Hanok have very effective ventilation.
The real strength of hanok lies in its comfort and convenience for its dwellers. For instance, the ondol floor used to serve the purpose of a heater for bowls of steamed rice by covering them with blankets and placing them on the floor. Hanok seeks minimalism by removing excessive decorations. As such, hanok make one feel humble and modest, and connects natural spaces to human spaces.
- Curriculum vitae [ Kim Jang-gwon ]
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- Representative, Bukchon HRC
- Architect specializing in hanok
- Has built 160-plus hanok houses chiefly in Bukchon, Seoul.
