Siting, Orientation and Layouts of Traditional Housing Pungsu : a Case Study of ‘ Sagye Old House’

Sagye Kim Jang Saeng(A.D.1548-1632) is a leader of courtesy study in Joseon Dynasty period. The home town of Gwangsan Kim's family, 'Geojeong-maeul', is lasted 600 years in nonsan-city Chungcheong province. The front of the village has a extensive field where cultivated an abundance of agricultural products. But he had built his house to set up branch family in Dooma-myeon Gyeryong-city. Also Gyeryong city was in the jurisdiction of Nonsan city before A.D. 2003. 'Sagye Old Hous’ was built in A.D. 1603. 'Sagye Old House' was built when he was 54 years old. He left Seoul to retire to the country, Nonsan-gun, he was born in Hanyang(Seoul). The moment of its building was a period after Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592. The direction of 'Sagye Old House' faced north, generally the Korea traditional houses had a southern aspect. Facing north house was not a good building in the bitting cold and dry air of winter. Family who lived in facing north house suffered from some trouble. We did wonder why Sagye decided to build facing north house. It is possible for the house facing north to lose a genial sunshine on the yard and a cool wind. What does his choice mean his choice in spite of these disadvantages? We want to know the reasons in the factor of historicity such as a dominant ideology and philosophy. And we try to study from a historical perspective how to overcome seasonal weakness through architectural space arrangement based on the application of natural environment, socio-geographic merits and geomorphological characteristic. It is planned that the sunshine of southern exposure is received due to the location of Korean traditional housing, allowing out easily by the 'Sasinsa (four celestrial deities 四神砂)' regulation in the residence place. But siting, orientation and layout of 'Sagye old house' is based on the northern direction. This study is focused on the ecological aspects of them. Results are as follow. The site is influenced by 'mountain-behind-stream-front', and orientation by 'humidity -minute weather condition plan'. Layouts are the same. This study is focused on the ecological aspects based on the Pungsu(風水). The most important factor of facing north house appears his steadfast loyalty. It's because King lived north area from his house. In Geomancy(Pungsu), the surrounding nature environment makes a division 'Sasinsa' that is four celestrial deities-the mysterious black turtle(north), azure dragon(east), white tiger(west), and crimson bird(south). Especially, a case of facing north house is emphasizing a crimson bird(ansan) among four celestrial deities. The crimson bird is due to play a role the mysterious black turtle that shelter the north cold wind to the house. In case of building face north house, it had a wide back yard as much as a front yard. Because it was to secure the amount of sunlight. Even if the whole direction of a traditional house was facing north, the way of individual rooms were facing south or east to get a sun shine.