PurposeTraditional Korean buildings do not differ significantly in form or structural style according to era or building type. The authors interpret this from a generative rather than a typological perspective. The generation perspective considers factors forming the buildings and is connected to the prevailing thoughts of the era.Design/methodology/approachThis study analyzes the generation method of seowon facilities in the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897), focusing on the Dosan Seowon. Based on Koreans' long-term thinking, the authors applied the extracted architectural space generation layers for analysis, and present an integrated method of generation layers when the Dosan Seowon was built.FindingsThe immanent, physical and body perceptual layers presented for seowon formation analysis are represented by thought, form and territory. Specific aspects of these layers in the Dosan Seowon are analyzed, including the architectural arrangement that connects the land conditions with neo-Confucian courtesy and order, the collective architectural form considering the energy of yin and yang, and the elements of objects that affect the human body perception. This form of architecture was closely linked with and strongly influenced by monistic philosophy.Social implicationsAfter the Korean War, architects judged traditional buildings only by shapes, and quickly accepted Western architecture's forms. Presenting a generative perspective of traditional Korean architecture expands the theoretical research direction of modern succession.Originality/valueThis is the first attempt to examine the generation method based on the Dosan Seowon's generation layers.