Gates and Walls

One of the most interesting things about the architecture of Korea is the integration of walls and gates into the houses. This probably is a result of tradition and of the density of the residential areas. There is a wide range of materials, shapes, etc. but walls seem to add formality and status to any structure. Click on the small images to see a full size version.

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	This wall is topped by ornate ironwork - a very common configuration today although not really traditional.
	This is a traditional pattern for a retaining wall. With the amount of building in the mountains, retaining walls are a big business. The diamond pattern is very common.
	Here is a practical design which is found all through Asia. The tile roof protects the masonry wall from weather and decreases maintenance by a large margin. The slope is followed by adjusting each section of wall - as seen in the next wall also.
	Today garages are built into the walls. It works much better than the suburban U.S. approach of ruining the front view of the house.
	Stone walls are also common although the often are actually concrete with stone on the face. Note the security "spikes" in the top - also common.
	A side entrance door. Ivy on top of the wall softens the view.
	A main entrance gate.
	This gate and wall looks good but doesn't provide much security.