'The "Happy Community for the Elderly" Wins Grand Prize at LH Housing Design Technology Competition'

[Asia Economy Reporter Inho Yoo] Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) announced on the 30th that it held the ‘8th Housing Design and Technology Competition’ at its headquarters in Jinju, Gyeongnam.

Now in its 8th year, the Housing Design and Technology Competition is an annual contest held since 2013 to promote the development of creative design technologies in the housing sector in line with changes in government policies and technology trends.

This year, the theme was set as ‘LH Supportive Housing for Guaranteeing Housing Rights and Reducing Social Costs in a Super-Aged Society.’ Ideas were solicited for differentiated housing and integrated support service plans for residents requiring nursing and care.

Supportive housing aims to secure residential stability so that elderly people can spend their later years with community care, and to provide low-cost, high-efficiency care through concentrated services within the complex.

Accordingly, the competition called for proposals of functional and creative unit floor plans and residential buildings for nursing and care, along with complex and common space plans to realize residents’ AIP (Aging in Place).

A total of five companies participated, and after public presentations and competitions, three final award-winning works were selected.

The grand prize was awarded to ‘A Complex Where the Elderly Are Happy, The Four Seasons of Hometown’ by Gil Architectural Design Office ENG Co., Ltd. This work was highly praised by the judges for proposing seasonal evocations of elderly memories, a community yard for elderly independence, shared units with one-stop medical and care services, and a medical care complex for both residents and local community members.

The excellence award went to ‘Companionship for a Beautiful Old Age’ by Iwon Architectural Design Office Co., Ltd., and the encouragement award was given to ‘La Ra Ra (Life assistance + Recovery assistance + Residence assistance)’ by SI Group Architectural Design Office Co., Ltd.

Kang Dong-ryeol, Head of LH Construction Technology Headquarters, said, “Based on the creative and excellent ideas proposed in this competition, we will develop business models for LH Supportive Housing and strengthen housing functions for socially vulnerable groups.”