Application of and Changes in Construction Principles and Joint Methods in the Wooden Architecture of the Joseon Era: A Case Study on the Sungnyemun Gate in Seoul

Abstract

Various efforts are needed to understand the construction principle of wooden architecture in the pre-modern era, as theoretical literature on this topic is lacking. This study shows that wooden construction methods are divided into two categories consisting of piled-up and integrated structures. The primary difference between the two categories is that the former is supported by a structural system weighted by a load from above, whereas the latter involves strengthening of the combination itself. In Korea, the framed system seen in a partially integrated structure is confirmed based on the structure of a piled-up framework. The Sungnyemun Gate is a representative example, and exemplifies piled-up techniques with a structural stability that is grounded by the load. However, the building's interior is characterized by the active adoption of pass-through columns employed in the integrated structure. Such structural compromise results in great changes. When the authors examine the joining parts of major timber-framed structures like the Sungnyemun Gate, at its completion, it had weak joining connections in the piled-up structure; however, after several repairs, it was strengthened with an integrated structure. This thesis examines a regional peculiarity of the wooden architecture that adopted eclectic styles based on the piled-up structure.