Sustainability and Variability of Korean Wooden Architectural Heritage: The Relocation and Alteration

• Main Author: Dai Whan An
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-05-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: Cheongju Mangseollu; relocation; changes in wood elements; changes in function; traditional Korean wooden building; variability; sustainability
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/6/1742

‘Relocation’ is the most distinctive feature of Korean wooden architecture, since every wooden material can be in most cases completely dismantled and moved to another place. This paper analyzes Cheongju Mangseollu that possesses these unique relocation characteristics excellently, because it was relocated twice in 1923 and 1999 and the building’s function was therefore altered during the process. Mangseollu, which was once a pavilion, was relocated and altered into a school in 1923 and subsequently relocated into a pavilion again in 1999. Accordingly, there were inevitable changes in terms of function, surface, and structure every time it was relocated. As a result, the surface was utilized as one large space without walls, when it was altered into a classroom and the wall was built around each room. Despite all these changes, Mangseollu is recognized as a building of late Joseon period. Therefore, this paper claims that Korean wooden buildings are maintained with unique variability through the relocation process.