Roofs in Andong: Everyday Life Under Traditional Eaves
Andong is a city that still pulses with the rhythm of traditional Korea. Located in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, surrounded by mountains and crossed by the Nakdong River, it stands as one of the best-preserved testimonies to Korean residential architecture. Here, in the folk villages of Hahoe and Dosanseowon, roofs are not merely structural elements – they are cultural manifestos, records of social hierarchy, and responses to the peninsula’s climatic demands.
Walking through Andong’s narrow streets is a lesson in how architecture can be both functional and ceremonial. The distinctive curved roof planes – called giwa – rise above walls of clay and wood, creating a silhouette that has defined the Korean landscape for centuries. But behind the aesthetics lies something more: a system of decisions about materials, pitch angles, details, and relationships with the surroundings.
Hanok and Its Roof: Genesis of Form
The traditional Korean house – hanok – is a structure built on a wooden frame, filled with clay and covered with ceramic or thatched roofing. The roof is the visual and functional centerpiece. In Andong, where winter temperatures drop below zero and summer humidity reaches 80%, the roof had to be simultaneously weathertight, ventilated, and snow-resistant.
The hanok roof form derives from Chinese architectural tradition, but on the Korean Peninsula it developed its own character. The distinctive curve of the edges – more subtle than in China, more restrained than in Japan – is not decorative. It’s a structural result: wooden beams are arranged to naturally create a gentle arc, increasing stability and facilitating rainwater runoff.
“Good style ages gracefully – and hanok is the best example of this.”
In Andong, two main hanok types are distinguished by roof covering:
- Giwa-jip – houses with ceramic roofs, traditionally reserved for the aristocracy. Tiles are laid in a concave-convex system, creating rhythmic waves.
- Choga-jip – thatch-roofed houses, characteristic of peasant classes. Covering thickness reached 30–40 cm, providing thermal and acoustic insulation.
Both types share one principle: the roof is the house’s most important element. It defines the structure’s proportions, protects from rain and sun, and in winter retains heat from the ondol underfloor heating system.
Why This Roof Works in Andong
Andong’s climate tests the limits of any structure. Winter temperatures drop to -15°C, summer peaks reach 35°C, and the monsoon season brings heavy rainfall. The traditional hanok roof responds to these challenges with engineering precision.
The roof pitch – typically between 30 and 45 degrees – ensures rapid water and snow runoff without stressing the structure. Ceramic giwa tiles are laid with small gaps that allow air circulation. This is crucial in summer: hot, humid air doesn’t accumulate under the roof but flows freely, lowering interior temperatures by several degrees.
The curved roof edges also serve a practical purpose. Extended eaves – called cheo-ma – protect walls from rain while not blocking the low winter sun. In summer, when the sun is high, these same eaves cast shade on windows and terraces, reducing interior heat gain.
“This house works differently in winter and summer – and that was intentional.”
In Andong, you can see how the roof responds to topography. Houses in Hahoe Village, situated in a river bend, are oriented according to pungsu principles (Korean feng shui). Roofs are positioned to shield against cold northern winter winds while opening toward the southern sun and water views.
Construction and Materials: Durability from Clay and Wood
Building a traditional Andong roof is a process requiring time and precision. The framework consists of massive pine beams joined without nails – only mortise and tenon joints with wedges. This construction is flexible: the wood “moves” with temperature and humidity changes but doesn’t crack.
Planks are laid over the beams, followed by a 5–10 cm layer of clay. The clay serves as insulation and a base for the tiles. Ceramic giwa are produced locally, fired at over 1000°C. Their characteristic dark gray color comes from iron oxide in the clay. The tiles are heavy – a typical hanok roof weighs several tons – which stabilizes the structure during typhoons.
Peasant houses used thatched reed or rice straw instead of ceramic. A thick layer of organic material acted as natural insulation, retaining warmth in winter and coolness in summer. The covering required replacement every 10–15 years, but this process was integral to community life – neighbors helped each other, passing knowledge from generation to generation.
Functionality: Living Under Such a Roof
The interior of a traditional hanok in Andong is organized around two zones: maru – an open wooden platform serving as a terrace and social space – and bang, heated living quarters. The roof unites these zones into a cohesive whole.
High-ceilinged rooms beneath the roof provide air circulation. In summer, when doors and windows open, natural cross-ventilation cools the interior. In winter, when the ondol underfloor heating is active, warmth collects under the roof, creating a thermal buffer.
Daylight enters in a controlled manner. Windows are modest, covered with hanji paper that diffuses light softly. Combined with long roof eaves that regulate direct sunlight, this creates a subdued atmosphere conducive to contemplation.
“We weren’t after square footage, but light – and the hanok shows you can have one without sacrificing the other.”
The relationship with the garden is essential. The hanok roof often extends over the madang – an inner courtyard – forming a covered corridor. This transitional space connects interior with nature, sheltering from rain while maintaining fresh air and views.
Who This Type of Home Is For
Living in a traditional hanok requires accepting certain limitations and a willingness to participate in nature’s rhythm. It’s a home for people who value quiet, simplicity, and conscious contact with materials. This isn’t a solution for those expecting full air conditioning, hermetically sealed windows, and maximum acoustic insulation.
Hanok works best in small communities where architecture is part of a broader cultural landscape. In Andong, these homes function within a village context: neighborhood, shared spaces, the rhythm of festivals and ceremonies. Removing hanok from this context—transplanting it to a modern city—often leads to a loss of meaning.
Contemporary hanok adaptations in Korea combine traditional form with modern systems: insulation, electric heating, large glazing. It’s a compromise that preserves aesthetics and some functionality but changes the living experience. For purists, it’s a betrayal of the idea; for pragmatists, the only way to keep the tradition alive.
What You Can Apply to Your Own Project
Even if you’re not planning to build a hanok, Andong’s architecture offers concrete inspirations adaptable to other latitudes:
- Extended eaves—regulate sunlight and protect the facade without blocking views.
- Natural ventilation—designing airflow instead of relying solely on air conditioning.
- Local materials—ceramic, wood, clay—that age gracefully and don’t require frequent replacement.
- Transitional space—a covered terrace or corridor connecting interior with garden.
- Spatial hierarchy—division into intimate and social zones, with the roof as a unifying element.
In temperate climates like Poland’s, many of these solutions can be applied without modification. Extended eaves work as well over a terrace in Masuria as in Andong. A wooden roof structure, if properly executed, serves for decades. And the principle of designing with nature, not against it, is universal.
Summary
Andong’s roofs prove that good residential architecture doesn’t need to be revolutionary to be effective. They’re the result of centuries of observation, testing, and refinement—a process where every detail has justification. The curved slope, ceramic tiles, wooden framework—these aren’t styling choices but answers to specific questions: how to protect from rain, how to manage temperature, how to create a living space that endures.
Rooffers promotes an approach where form follows function and style results from conscious decisions, not fashion. Andong shows you can build beautifully, durably, and wisely—if you start by understanding place, climate, and residents’ needs. And start with the roof.
