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Virginia Tech

Life Via The Wall

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The rapid pace of industrial growth in South Korea over the last few decades has radically altered the way people live. As the population began to shift from the countryside to the city to pursue a better life by working in manufacturing and services in lieu of agriculture, the dense urban condition began to arise as a result of this endless influx. There had been neither the time nor the technology available to take account of the occupants' comfort. Moreover, after the Korean war in 1950, many families were split apart and this caused the longing to accommodate a family together to become stronger than ever. Since the 1970's, mass production has greatly increased the availability of housing in terms of the quantity, not quality. Most new housing for the lower middle class was built as small spaces without much opportunity to enjoy interacting with neighbors or the outdoors. This study was initiated to explore the potentials of habitable spaces and to understand the importance of bringing neighborhood life back and the chance to experience nature within the constraints imposed by a limited space. As a response to the analysis of the relationship between existing housing and the city, a design element is proposed; a wall that transforms itself from a feature in an individual living space to the neighborhood and to a facet of a city. Also this study includes the investigation of different ideas and examples of using small space efficiently.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Architecture
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Architecture
Department dc:contributor.department
Architecture
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2004

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Lee, Ok-Hyun
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Galloway, William U.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Jones, James R.
  • Edge, Kay F.

Subjects

dc:subject × 5

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-12192009-165033
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/36311

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Lee, Ok-Hyun. Life Via The Wall. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/36311