This study examines the relationships between the roo-maru(Raised Floor) platforms and their exterior spaces in the Korean gentry houses of Chosun Dynasty. Those 22 houses selected for the subjects of this study, retain their original forms intact, ar...
This study examines the relationships between the roo-maru(Raised Floor) platforms and their exterior spaces in the Korean gentry houses of Chosun Dynasty. Those 22 houses selected for the subjects of this study, retain their original forms intact, are known exactly when they were constructed, and have related data abundantly. Their original owner, their physical characteristics and their exterior-space features are analyzed.
1. The houses with roo-maru structure were mostly constructed during the period of A.D. 1500 to 1800, when the society was driven into the whirlpool of political strife, and when a lot of high officials retired into their home countries. At the time of construction, their original owners were mostly high officials above the grade of the third court rank, or retired high officials.
2. The symbolism of roo-maru appears on the tablet representing its name. The roo-maru usually has its own particular building name, which gives this structure a independent individuality apart from the other male quarters of the houses. On the tablets are inscribed the owners' pen name, epigrams for their descendents, quotations from classics, or passages describing its surrounding natural beauty.
3. As for the physical characteristics of the roo-maru platforms,
1) Their sizes are in the range of 5.27-43.83㎡, which is larger than the minimum size of jungja-maru(pavilion) (3.3㎡), and which is a space allowing 6 persons to do some public activities on it.
2) One to three sides of the platform structures can be opened to the garden or the surrounding natural scenery, which provides a mixed continuity of artificial and natural spaces.
3) The roo-maru is generally about 0.55m higher than the main hall or the other rooms of the male quarters of the house, which gives to this structure dignity and separate independence from the other parts of the house.
4. The exterior-space features are examined, focusing on the view from the roo-maru, the directional relationship of the main building and the roo-maru, the relationship of the yard and the outer space, and its constituent elements, and the relationship of the garden and the outer space.
1) The floor heights of the roo-maru and its surrounding walls are set so as to secure the view of outer space.
2) The main building is always exposed to the south, but the exposure of the roo-maru is determined by its main view of the outer space.
3) The yards are classified into two categories: when there is a fine prospect in the exterior space, no artificial garden is made in the yard; if not, there is built an artificial garden in the yard.
(1) When remaining vacant, the yard may have 1-2 scholar trees, or 1-2 dressed stones or stone images in front of the roo-maru, giving a special meaning to the space.
(2) When an artificial garden is built, it is generally composed of trees, some of the landscape items such as artificial hills, ponds, dressed stones, oddly shaped stones, stone images, terraced flower beds, or mounded flower beds. The trees planted in the garden are 23 evergreen species and 43 deciduous species, which means the deciduous were more favored than the evergreen as garden items.