Photos: Younglim
Historically, the vast majority of wood-frame buildings in South Korea have been constructed on-site. For several reasons, including labour shortage, quality control, a desire to cut waste, and a need to reduce transportation costs, many developers are now looking to industrialized construction as a solution. This includes modular homes where the building is completed in a factory and then shipped, in whole, to its final location. Prefabrication of building components, such as wall panels, is another approach that is growing in popularity.
Also driving demand for more industrialized construction is that it is seen as a way to reduce waste and the carbon footprint of a building, and that it reduces the number of carpenters and other trades needed on-site to complete construction. With an aging workforce, many developers are facing a shortage of skilled trades. Industrialized construction is seen as one way of dealing with this shortfall.
Modular homes in South Korea have historically been targeted to the premium end of the marketplace, making the homes a niche market. Namuro Homes sees a much larger mainstream opportunity and is appealing to it with a new home—TORY (meaning small, yet robust)—that offers greater value without sacrificing looks or features.
Developed with input from Canada Wood, the TORY home cuts costs by using a 2×6 framework rather than the heavy timber typically used for modular homes. Cladding is premium B.C. cedar, with high-quality doors, windows and interior finishing rounding out the homes. The result is a product that cuts costs, but not quality.
