Rethinking vernacular architecture: the case of Hanoks in South Korea

Abstract

For five decades, academics and architects have been debating the subject of vernacular architecture. Although the exact scope and status of vernacular architecture is far from clear, this article shows how the concept of the vernacular can play a crucial role in protecting architectural diversity by examining different types of new hanoks, or Korean-style houses. Although the current Hanok Renaissance in South Korea tends to emphasise ‘elite’ traditional architecture over other types, there are cases of vernacular hanoks, that use local materials and construction methods but may not resemble well-known historical architectural forms. Such new vernacular hanoks are characterised by their pragmatic design approach and stylistic heterogeneity in the context of a highly formulaic architectural production.1