Korea's Pioneering Mid-Rise Modular Structure
POSCO Gwangyang Gigatown, the residential quarters for the staff of POSCO's Gwangyang Steelworks, is composed of two edifices. While one building was erected employing the conventional Reinforced Concrete (RC) methodology, the other made history by being Korea's premier mid-rise establishment utilizing modular construction techniques.
The construction sector is currently experiencing a significant uptick in interest toward 'modular architecture', an innovative approach that surpasses traditional labor-intensive, site-centric techniques heavily dependent on reinforced concrete.
Modular construction involves manufacturing over 80% of a building's primary constituents and parts as standardized, modular units within a factory setting. These pre-manufactured components are then transported to the construction site for assembly and installation. As a potential efficient solution to prevailing challenges in the construction industry, modular architecture is designed to reduce construction waste, energy consumption, and carbon emissions, while also lessening environmental disturbances, such as noise, vibration, and dust.
POSCO Gwangyang Gigatown is a manifestation of two distinct construction techniques—RC and modular—each employed in one of the two buildings, which was performed with the intent to juxtapose their efficiencies. The outcome was noteworthy as the modular building's actual construction timeframe was roughly 20% (four months) shorter compared to that of the RC building.
Additionally, POSCO E&C achieved the laudable feat of 'zero safety incidents' by leveraging BIM simulation and reducing on-site operations. The company also managed to curtail the emission of waste, noise, and particulate matter by applying the modular method.
Adding to the aesthetic appeal and providing a comfortable recreational space for the employees, POSCO E&C constructed a rooftop garden nestled between the RC and modular buildings. Following feedback from resident employees and the company's internal analysis, it was determined that both buildings delivered equally on key residential performance metrics, including crucial factors for apartment living, such as floor impact noise, indoor air quality, condensation, sound insulation, and air tightness.