Gaeng-ok
A gaeng-ok is a form of circular pit-house. An evolution of the dwellings common in previous eras, this form of dwelling is most often found in the western and central parts of Gyerim where the soil is deep and stable enough for its construction. They are built on the hilltops and hillsides where flooding or landslides are unlikely.
Purpose / Function
Used as a common family dwelling, particularly in smaller or older settlements. Larger examples are sometimes used for community purposes or as multi-generational family housing.
Architecture
Gaeng-ok are carved into the earth normally about 1 to 1.5 meters into the ground. The walls are normally plastered or wood-paneled with plastered or packed dirt floors. A short wall of wattle and daub is normally built on top of this with an overhanging thatch and timber roof. The roof is normally cone-shaped with a thick center post. Windows are sometimes added to the short wall for illumination. Depending upon the local terrain, the door area is placed in a dip in the hillside or a cleared ramp dug to the surface.
One unique feature of gaeng-ok is the use of fire and heating. An earthen or stone fireplace/firebox is placed next to the door. The earthen or brick flue then wraps around the base of the house's circular wall before exiting at a chimney on the opposite side of the door. This is a primitive form of the floor heating utilized in more modern buildings to maximize the containing of heat inside the space. Special structures in the flue helps insures the proper flow of smoke out of the home.
A small gaeng-ok is made of a single circle, though larger examples are made from anywhere from two to four circles creating lobes. Often each of these lobes have their own fireplace and door. The roof is also modified to minimize dips and joints the encourage leaking and rot in the thatch. In these larger examples, a platform is occasionally added between the long support beams, creating an attic space that can be used for storage or sleeping.
History
Gaeng-ok are pre-historical in origin and the design has likely changed little since then.
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