Functional and Physical Changes of Social Lifespaces in Korean Family Houses

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association 1992;30(3):141-158.

논문편 : 주택내의 사회공간의 물리적 특성과 기능의 변천에 관한 연구

윤복자, 박경난, 백금화

연세대학교 생활과학대학 주생활학과

Functional and Physical Changes of Social Lifespaces in Korean Family Houses

Bok Cha Yoon, Kyung Nan Park, Kum Hwa Paik

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to identify general characteristics of social lifespaces in Korean family houses and to investigate the changes in the physical aspects and room functions of social lifespaces from Yi-dynasty to the present. The documentary research method was used for this study. Total of 972 out of 1,109 floor plans were analyzed for this study. The major findings were that changes of social lifespaces from Yi-dynasty to the present have been affected by natural and socio-cultural environments. The changes in the physical aspects of social lifespaces have shown from one or two social lifespaces to various single-purpose social lifespaces such as living room, family room, drawing room, and study room. In the past, the cnetral social lifespaces, Anbang(women's quarter) was larger than the living room/Daechung(wooden floor) but the living room in the present has become a central social lifespaces and larger. The room function of Anbang has changed from multi-purpose space to private space. Living room/Daechung had used as a pathway rather than a social lifespaces in the past but the living room has played many fuctional roles of family social activities in the present. The kitchen has also begun to use as a social lifespace. This is a new symptom that kitchen and dining spaces will be included as a new social lifespaces.