A Study of Current Status and Residents' Needs of Balcony Extension in Korean Apartment Housing

아파트 발코니의 확장실태와 거주자 의식에 관한 연구

In Korean apartment housing, balcony is semi-outdoor space for storage and drying laundry. Recently, this semi-outdoor balcony space has been merged into indoor living space with the legal permission of balcony extension. It results in disappearance of the original function of balcony in apartment housing. This study attempts to propose better utilization of balcony extension by analyzing how balcony has been extended and used, and what residents' needs are. This study asks 400 housewives living in apartment housing in Jangyu new urban area, Kyungnam. Findings are : 1) Balcony extensions are carried out in a living room, a large bedroom and a small bedroom. Most extensions are made for enlarging adjacent indoor living space; 2) Original balcony that is not extended is used for drying laundry, resting, flower pot, storing, and kid's playing; 3) The residents recognize that problems of balcony extension are the decreased heating efficiency, the reduced soundproofing effect, the loss of spare housework space, and the disappearance of buffer between indoor and outdoor space; 4) Many residents want to extend their balcony space of a small bedroom and a large bedroom and to keep the balcony space of a kitchen-dining room and a master bedroom as they are.