Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea (대한건축학회논문집)

Architectural Institute of Korea (대한건축학회)
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Dilemmas in the Construction of the Blue House and the Role of the Korean Traditional Architecture, 1988-1991

청와대 건설의 딜레마와 전통건축의 역할, 1988-1991

  • Received : 2023.02.12
  • Accepted : 2024.05.17
  • Published : 2024.07.30
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Abstract

This study explores how tradition was expressed in three buildings constructed at the Blue House in the early 1990s and why these differences arose. It argues that expressing tradition wasn't solely for architectural or aesthetic purposes, but also served specific political or functional aims. The new Blue House buildings needed to fulfill multiple goals, often conflicting with each other. Firstly, they had to incorporate traditional Korean materials, techniques, and forms to replace a building from the Japanese colonial period. Simultaneously, they had to represent the nation's progress, symbolizing a newly developing South Korea. Moreover, these buildings had to signify the country's supreme power while also embodying a new democratic era. These seemingly conflicting values of tradition and modernity, authority and democracy could not be prioritized separately, both needed pursuit. This study examines how these conflicting values were balanced through traditional forms of expression. By delving into these aspects, this study not only sheds light on the complex nature of the construction of the Blue House but also helps understand the modernization attempts of Korean traditional architecture more broadly.

Keywords

References

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