The Floor: A Reinterpretation of the Korean Home, Focusing on the Ondol

초록

This research explores the relationship between space and activity as a means of investigating a phenomenological understanding of Korean floor-based living. An understanding of the floor as space has been a fundamental element in Korean everyday life since the ondol (a traditional Korean floor heating system) became the prevalent heating resource throughout the Korean peninsula during the time of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). Thus, I will draw upon the spatial implications of these cultural practices by engaging with the spatial experience of the ondol, which is fundamentally different to the Western lifestyle that has been layered over this regional tradition. I argue that the spatial typology is informed by repetitive activities in terms of everyday life and that the floor is a substantial element for Korean identity that refers back to this rich cultural tradition. This distinguishes the Korean home as unique, in a similar way to the more well-known particularities and cultural heritage found in Japanese and Chinese houses. © The Author(s) 2021.

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