Becoming a Haenyeo-Architect, Making a Commons

GSD Graduate Thesis | Fall 2020, Spring 2021

Advisors | Alfredo Thiermann, Gareth Doherty

Project Recognition | High Pass

What can an architect do to an imminent extinction of a culture? Through fieldwork, I documented traditional tools, architecture, land-seascapes, and rituals of Haenyeo in Jeju Island, South Korea, engaged with the community, and built a new commons on site.

As early as 1105, Hae-nyeo (‘sea-woman’) or Jam-nyeo (‘divingwoman’) have subsisted by diving into the sea without breathing apparatus to catch animals and plants, in addition to farming their land and livestock.1 Across land and sea, they designed, built, and expanded these commons with scarce resources.

Badang-bat, or ‘ocean-farmland’, refers to Haenyeo fishery where resources and productions are regulated and shared among them. Bul-teok is an outdoor ‘fire-place’ near a diving point, where Haenyeo changed clothes, rested babies, discussed issues, and prayed for safety. Haenyeo-ui-jip or ‘House(s) of Haenyeo’ were built in the late 1980s by the local government as a modern translation of Bulteok; these single-story bathhouses, cladded with local basalt stones, included a communal bathroom, living room, and kitchenette.

More of these commons are being abandoned as the Haenyeo population ages and shrinks - as of 2021, the number of Jeju Haenyeo has decreased by ~83% since 1965. Using an abandoned Bulteok, I built a new commons within the Samyang Haenyeo community where I could stay and participate in their daily practices. The rebuilt fireplace and added roof open new conversations between the closed & closing world of Haenyeo, and the younger generations.

During the late 17th century in the Joseon Dynasty, Haenyeo became a key regional taxpayer. Jeju island, or Tamra, was assigned to send dried abalones for the king in Seoul. Originally the task was assigned to male divers called Pojakin. Because many pojakin lost their lives or was seriously injured catching abalones, they began to fled the island to avoid this duty. When there were too few pojakin left in the island to fill in the quota, female divers were assigned for the task.

Their method of diving remained the same through modernization: Hold breath. Flip, and dive in. Gravity pulls. Seek, catch, and rise. Exhale, and repeat. Yet, the material of their tools changed from organic to petrochemicals. Goggles, wetsuits, and fins were introduced from Japan. Haenyeo fierecely discussed if the increased productivity could exhaust the fishery at the time of introducing these tools. Despite the oppositions, eventually all the Haenyeo community favored the introduction of the new technologies.

The rise of tourism, and espcially sex tourism in Jeju island during the Japanese occupation in the early 20th century made Haenyeo a sex symbol. Succeeding military regimes of south korea fostered this image by promoting 3S policy or Sex, sports, Screen policy.2

Even nowadays, the dominant narratives of Haeneyo are polarized between the sex symbol and the image of old but strong mother. But is this true description of Haenyeo? I wanted to look at them as a designer and architect.

Fieldwork

Because there was barely any architectural literature on Haenyeo architecture or landscape, I chose to ride a bike along the coast line to find and document Haenyeo architecture. There were 17 field trips. The total distance ridden was 130 miles. On field, I measured and sketched Haenyeo architecture, conducted interviews with Haenyeo and local residents, and recorded soundscapes.

Fieldnote excerpt:

“Haenyeo Jo, Ok-sun started freediving for living since the age of 17. She has seven daughters and one son. Since her retirement at 82, she began teaching at Haenyeo school. After retirement, she said “she feels like a President.”

She told how bulteoks were made by Haenyeo from scratch. Haenyeo knew where the prevailing wind came from. Bulteok entrance was located at the opposite of the prevailing wind. Because Haenyeo changed their clothing in Bulteok, men were not allowed to enter the space.

Ha-gun Haenyeo would bring woods and made fire before Sang-gun Haenyeo finish the diving in the deep water. Ha-gun would sit facing the wind, whereas sang-gun would sit on the opposite side so that she can avoid the smoke.

Haenyeo Ok-Sun’s house was one of the common Jeju houses with a small central yard with multiple small structures: living quarter, bathroom, storage/ hut, and diving storage. The living quarter had living room or Sang-bang at the center, with two rooms on the side and a kitchen.”

Daepyeong House of Haenyeo and interview with the Haenyeo president of Daepyeong-ri, Oh, Yeon-su.

She described how their fishery became barren since the operation of a power plant has started. The change in water temperature caused a change in tidal flow. She was very upset about how other divers catch everything in the fishery without any care for the future. I could see the banner in front of the house, criticizing their over-harvesting. The house was built new a couple years ago, yet many Haenyeo complained with the design. It’s important for them to have a direct view of the ocean to decide if they can dive or not, yet the new building does not provide any view.

Since the construction of a power plant and Jeju harbor, the ocean flow changed from dynamic mixing to one-way from East to West. They described it as “river-ocean” that it is only one-way flow.

Bosikozi Bulteok, an outdoor changing ‘room’ is where Haenyeo discussed their diving schedules, exchange information, and took rest. According to the prevailing wind direction, this Bulteok has curved wall to gently block the wind. Since the higher ground is colder, younger Haenyeo sat higher while the older and experienced Haenyeo sat at lower. This Bulteok is currently abandoned, as modern changing rooms with bathtubs, or House of Haenyeo, were built in the 1980s.

Sinchon House of Haenyeo, located in Sinchon-ri. The plan reflects the circulation of Haenyeo. They would enter from the wet entrance, leave some of their harvested horned turbans to be cooked immediately, store their tools in the workshop, enter the bath, and rest in the living room.

These houses were designed for Haenyeo according to their circulation and activities. The construction changed over time, from stereotomic wall to modern concrete wall. Haenyeo communities constructed and modified these houses according to their needs. Most often, they added kitchen and wet working space.

Earlier form of House of Haenyeo, located in Hado-ri. It is currently used as storage, but has heating stove and water faucets. Its stereotomic wall section shows the construction method before the introduction of concrete.

There was an abandoned bulteok in Samyang. They called it Halmang bulteok, meaning grandmothers’ fireplace. I proposed them two things: to rebuild the wall of bulteok, which was destroyed by typhoon years ago, and two: I want to build a small set like a movie set where I will stay temporarily. After thesis is over, I promised to deconstruct it and put it back to the original. Plan shows how the bulteok was cut off by the storage on the south, owned by the shipyard owner.

Halmang Bulteok Shipyard Owner’s Storage Shipyard Shipyard Owner’s House Samyang House of Haenyeo

The concept of the roof is Bonjogangi, an abalone shell that haenyeo used to place underwater when they found something to catch, but out of breath. The new roof would mark the fireplace in the landscape and provide shelter from sunlight and rain.