Abstract

This study examines the spatial transformation of Sorokdo Charity Hospital in the 1910s and 1920s to understand its architectural plans’ social and medical implications. The researchers cross-checked and analyzed 76 drawings related to Sorokdo Charity Hospital held in the National Archives, examining and synthesizing their characteristics. The differences in the facilities’ plans between the two periods reveal a change in the way people viewed Hansen’s disease and the intended architectural practices that affected the changes. First, the site plan of the 1910s Sorokdo Charity Hospital reveals a reliance on geography and topography to physically isolate patients from staff or other patients. However, in the 1920s, focus shifted to a functional site division and with efficient control through surveillance. Second, changes in the treatment of Hansen’s disease led to changes in clinic floor plans. Third, changes in the hospital’s architectural design, such as its floor plan, heating system, and exterior materials, reflect a shift in perspective: in the 1910s, designers treated patients as mere objects of isolation and accommodation, while in the 1920s, they viewed them as active beings capable of self-sufficiency.