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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Transformation of the courtyard house--low-rise high density urban housing in Korea

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The idea of low-rise high-density urban housing is based on two fundamental objectives: 1) To provide higher density by intensifying land use as urban growth escalates at an unprecedented rate. 2) To reconsider the essential qualities of house - a house with a garden, light and air. Modern high-rise apartments provide greater density and improved living conditions in terms of proper sanitation, electricity, and open space. But it lacks individuality and promotes a high degree of anonymity leading to limited social contact between neighbors. It dissociates the house from the ground and creates ambiguous open space between buildings. Single-family detached houses provides individuality and open space but detachment is not only meaningless but highly inefficient in terms of land use The courtyard house provides an alternative solution by combining advantages of individual house and high density housing. Its introverted nature allow dense clustering while maintaining a private open space. The design takes this traditionally horizontal aggregation of dwellings one step further to increase its potential density. It proposes a vertical courtyard house while maintaining access to light and air, visual and acoustical privacy, efficiency of construction, and a revitalization of street life and open space.

Degree

thesis:*
Department dc:contributor.department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture.
Grantor dc:publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Year dc:date.issued
1987

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Park, Gene S. (Gene Sungjin)
Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
  • John R. Myer.

Subjects

dc:subject × 1

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
Language dc:language.iso
eng

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/76405
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/76405

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
MIT
Base URL
dspace.mit.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Park, Gene S. (Gene Sungjin). Transformation of the courtyard house--low-rise high density urban housing in Korea. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/76405