Design in Korea: Week 3

Changdeokgung Palace

Location: Jongno-gu, Seoul

The Palace of Illustrious Virtue is located at the foot of the mountains of Bukhansan National Park. This image shows the bright colors and array of patters which cover the palace buildings. Colors are used in this way on buildings as a sign of luxury and importance while most regular buildings opt for clean whites and dark browns. The more important the building, the more intricate the pattern with meticulous attention to detail. Repetition is key as each wooden log of the roof is painted with the same intricate floral pattern, consistent all the way around the building. The wall and the roof are both topped with the same ribbed tiles which incorporate a letter character into their decorative geometric pattern. Different types of grids are used next to each other on the stone and brick wall as well as the vented palace doors.