d+a

design and architecture

the hanok of tomorrow

Issue 136 | d+a

The Hanok Heritage House reinterprets Korea’s centuries-old architectural language through contemporary spatial planning, material innovation, and refined detail.

-Text by Amy Van Photography by Jaeyoon Kim, Studio Z.

Hanok or traditional Korean houses, first designed and built in the 14th century during the Joseon dynasty, have been beautifully woven into South Korea's landscape for centuries. One such well-preserved project that carries this legacy forward is The Hanok Heritage House, a 73-acre hospitality complex located in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon province, about two hours southeast of Seoul.
Sangyoon Kim, founder of Seoul-based Listen Communication, designed the visionary project, which has already garnered international recognition, winning the Prix Versailles 2024 as the World's Most Beautiful Hotel. It has also been recognised as a winner of the IIDA Global Excellence Awards 2024(Chicago) and as a finalist of the Hospitality Design Awards 2025 (New York).
The ambitious multiphase project encompasses hotel accommodations and event spaces, The latest addition to the resort is called Seondoljung. Completed in early  2024, this second standalone space follows the first completed building, Jongtaek.
Named after a nearby scenic spot, Seondoljung is the largest hanok (956sqm indoors) within the estate, offering a reinterpretation of tradition infused with modern sensibilities. It also features exhibition areas, a private indoor swimming pool, gardens, and a cultural performance venue.

The upper level houses two independent guestrooms flanking a central lounge. This layout maximises privacy while ensuring smooth circulation. Each room includes a separate living area, minibar, and hinoki bathtub, creating a private and luxurious lodging experience through thoughtful amenities and design details.
The lower level accommodates two additional guestrooms, a living and dining area, a main and secondary kitchen (for chefs and workers), a dry sauna, multipurpose room, and private indoor swimming pool. A lift connects the two floors via their central lounges, ensuring a seamless flow while allowing guests to experience the distinctive atmosphere of each level. The spatial configuration balances private relaxation with spaces for communication, while highlighting the expansive, airy beauty of hanok design.

balancing heritage and modernity
The core design challenge lay in preserving cultural heritage while meeting the demands of modern functionality. "I strive to understand the ideas of our ancestors through the crafts used in everyday life in the past, and aim to adapt them to modern living while preserving the inherent beauty of the crafts,” Kim explains. “For example, in the case of the hanok, | plan the spatial layout based on my experience in anticipating how the completed space will feel to its users, by applying a modern layout. When incorporating traditional elements as finishing materials, | study their characteristics and strive to enhance their aesthetic sensibility while maintaining durability and adapting them to modern usability.”
He continues, “There are many crafts and art objects in the world that do not prioritise functionality, But in modern life, people tend to avoid them because they are functionally inconvenient and their sustainatability is low” According to Kim, many artisans are dedicated to preserving cultural heritage through traditional methods but their numbers are decreasing year by year. “In a mechanised modern society, | believe that national policies are supporting this effort to ensure that intangible skills are passed on to the future [generations]. Personally, I believe that a balanced national policy is paramount for tradition to not be a disconnect from the past but rather a valuable cultural asset in an evolving modern society”
Kim acknowledges that the process of preserving and reviving the delicate techniques of the past is incredibly difficult and requires patience. "Handcrafted techniques are time-consuming and meticulous, and they often fall short of commercial efficiency, making it difficult to cultivate successors. Especially in modem society, where speed and mass production are emphasised, these traditional
skills can easily be neglected. Indeed, some techniques are in danger of disappearing, and the lack of a younger generation to pass them ons a significant challenge.” He adds, “However, with a growing number of young designers and artists fascinated by craftsmanship, and with increasing attempts to reinterpret traditions in a contemporary context, | believe they will not be completely lost. If sustained public interest and government support help these skills move beyond mere restoration to establish themselves as part of new cultural practices, | believe they will continue to evolve in whatever form or meaning they take, and the value of craftsmanship will endure”

innovation rooted in craft
Kim was also responsible for the project's furniture design.
“The selection of materials for the furniture was based on considerations of tradition, functionality, and aesthetic harmony. A key focus was finding warm materials that complement the hanok atmosphere. At the heart of this approach lies wood, which
gains depth and elegance over timo,” he says.
The pieces are crafted from solid oak and walnut, with brushed, dry-grained wood used in sensitive areas such as the kitchen island to emphasise natural texture and durability. “These materials were selected based on their texture, how their surfaces change with light, and their harmony with the overall space. Furthermore, durability and maintenance required ‘modern functionality, so we employed processing and finishing techniques that minimise shrinkage and cracking,” Kim notes. “We believe furniture that balances traditional aesthetics, with modern practicality is the most honest way to achieve harmony within a space.”
A highlight of Seondoljung is the ‘Hanji Light Walls, a bespoke material developed  in-house. Kim elaborates: “The ‘Hanji Light Wall; which forms the wall behind the guestroom bed, isa custom-developed material. This wallis made by laser-engraving pattems onto traditional Korean paper and bonding them to matte glass for durability. The back of the processed paper reflects silver light, which cannot be captured in photos, but in person, the texture of the paper evokes the feeling of a three-dimensional flower. The wall itself functions as a lighting fixture, with soft lighting embedded within the paper. | sought to capture the soft, warm glow created by sunlight passing through hanji, and the still yet profound aesthetic imbued within.”

This combination of craftsmanship and innovation enriches the interiors with tactile and visual depth, offering a sensory experience that feels both deeply rooted in tradition yet undeniably modern.

overcoming structural challenges
Conserving the hanok naturally presented its share of challenges. Kim recalls how the project's founder, a physics major, engineered a drying machine to minimise wood deformation, reducing moisture content to levels below cultural heritage standards. “This is the only hanok in Korea constructed in this manner,” Kim says.

“The hanoks are not inspired by the orate palaces of ancient Korea, but rather by the humble homes of scholars. They are being gradually upgraded to accommodate modern lifestyles.”

For instance, Jongtaek, the first building completed, was constructed with a structure and scale faithful to traditional Korean architectural practices. By contrast, the Seondoljeong Pavilion has a larger wooden structure, featuring greater spacing and height. This was made possible by advances in large-scale timber construction technology. If the traditional scale of the hanok poses inconveniences for modern living, these innovations reflect how technology can bridge the gap between heritage and contemporary needs.

To address practical issues such as insulation and air flow, Kim turned to state-of-the-art systems. “Excluding the wooden structure, the walls are thin but highly insulating, thanks to advanced technologies such as vacuum insulation,” he explains. He adds that to counter issues of moisture and condensation, modern materials and ventilation systems were introduced to prevent harmful bacterial growth. Given the dense foliage around the hanok, insect screens were added to minimise pest intrusion, At the same time, to preserve unobstructed views from within, he used high-end European screens that are virtually invisible.

From bespoke furniture to structural innovations, Seondoljung demonstrates how tradition can thrive in a modern day context. Beyond accommodation, the project is positioned as a cultural destination where artisanal heritage and modern convenience meet.