Hyundai Engineering Selected as Preferred Negotiation Partner for Public Housing Project on Former Garibong Market Site

Construction of Seoul's Tallest 12-Story Modular Public Housing
Modular Method Gains Attention as Next-Generation Building Technology with Shorter Construction Period and Eco-Friendliness
Selected as Preferred Negotiation Partner through Continuous R&D in Modular Field for Technical Superiority

Perspective view of Garibong-dong modular happy housing.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kangwook Cho] Hyundai Engineering announced on the 1st that it has been selected as the preferred negotiation partner for the ‘Garibong Old Market Site Complex Private Participation Public Housing Project (Modular),’ a mid-rise modular housing project with 12 floors, the tallest in Seoul.

The ‘Garibong-dong Happy Housing (Modular) Construction Project,’ commissioned by Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH), involves constructing a happy housing complex with a total of 246 units, each with an exclusive area of 20m2, using modular construction methods. The site is located at 19-3 Uma-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul, covering 18 parcels, with buildings ranging from three basement floors to 12 above-ground floors.

The modular construction method is based on advanced building technology, where major structural components such as columns, beams, and slabs, as well as architectural finishes, bathrooms, and furniture, are prefabricated in factories and then transported and assembled on-site to complete the building. Compared to traditional methods, this approach shortens construction time by 20-50%, reduces noise and dust during construction, and generates less waste, making it a next-generation eco-friendly construction technology gaining attention recently.

Following its selection in March this year as the contractor for Korea’s first 13-floor mid-rise modular housing project, Hyundai Engineering has now secured the contract for Seoul’s first mid-rise modular housing project, solidifying its position as the undisputed leader in the domestic modular housing sector.

The Garibong-dong Happy Housing (Modular) project involves constructing a 12-floor, 246-unit mid-rise modular housing complex, the largest single building constructed using modular methods. Achieving this requires specialized residential performance, fire resistance, structural, and construction technologies tailored for mid-rise modular housing.

As part of its future architectural technology development, Hyundai Engineering has continuously researched and developed technologies related to modular construction. Since 2012, it has embarked on modular construction technology R&D, acquiring one new construction technology certification and 11 patents to date. It has also accumulated extensive expertise through joint research with public institutions such as SH, LH, and the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, as well as participation in numerous national OSC (Off-Site Construction) research projects. Notably, Construction Technology No. 770, which enhances seismic performance by reinforcing joints between modular units, is the industry’s first and only technology in Korea for mid-rise modular structural design developed by Hyundai Engineering.

Last year, Hyundai Engineering reorganized its Technology Research Institute within the Architecture Business Division into a leading smart construction technology organization, actively pursuing the development and adoption of practical and pioneering smart construction technologies. It plans to accumulate proprietary technologies through R&D that integrates smart construction and modular technologies.

A Hyundai Engineering official stated, "Based on continuous research and development related to the modular field, we were able to gain an advantage in the technical competition for the bid of the ‘Garibong Old Market Site Complex Private Participation Public Housing Project (Modular).’ We plan to fully mobilize our technological capabilities to become a leader in the modular sector, following our achievement of the first domestic and Seoul titles in mid-rise modular public housing."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.