Effect of Floods on Village Spatial Structure and Hierarchy – Hahoe Village, Korea

Floods have significantly shaped the spatial structure and social hierarchy of Hahoe Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its traditional Korean architecture. This study reveals that the village's development, located on a plain surrounded by mountains within a loop of the Nakdong River, was profoundly influenced by river flooding. Using a river engineering approach, researchers analyzed how inundations transformed the landscape and impacted the village's layout over time. The findings challenge previous assumptions about Hahoe's development, highlighting the critical role of natural disasters in shaping both its physical and social structures.

Sop Lee, H., & Nakai, Y. (2015). Effect of Floods on Village Spatial Structure and Hierarchy – Hahoe Village, Korea. Landscape Research, 40(4), 411–436. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2014.918093