7-Story Building with Courtyard Made of 'Mokjae' Wood... GS Construction Completes Seoul National University Haedong Advanced Engineering Hall

Utilizing Wood as a Structural Material for Eco-Friendly Construction
Modularizing Exterior Walls to Minimize On-Site Fabrication
Successfully Completed with Precon Service Applied

GS Engineering & Construction has completed the Haedong Advanced Engineering Building, which will be used as an artificial intelligence (AI) technology research facility within the College of Engineering at Seoul National University. The building attracts attention for applying cutting-edge construction technologies, such as using wood as a structural material for a large-scale building and modularizing the exterior walls for on-site installation.

Exterior view of Seoul National University Haedong Advanced Engineering Building constructed by GS Engineering & Construction (Photo by GS Engineering & Construction)

GS Engineering & Construction announced that it held a completion ceremony on the 25th at the Haedong Advanced Engineering Building, located opposite Seoul National University’s Engineering Building 2. The event was attended by GS Engineering & Construction CEO Heo Yunhong, Haedong Science and Culture Foundation Chairman Kim Youngjae, Seoul National University President Yoo Honglim, and Dean of the College of Engineering Hong Yuseok, among others.

The Haedong Advanced Engineering Building was constructed with a total floor area of approximately 10,000 square meters and seven stories above ground. A notable feature of this building is the application of a 'heavy timber structure' in the central courtyard, which uses eco-friendly wood as a structural material, despite the building having a reinforced concrete structure.

The heavy timber structure refers to constructing structural elements such as columns and beams using wood. Wood is an eco-friendly building material with excellent strength and durability, capable of bearing loads effectively. Compared to reinforced concrete, it significantly reduces industrial waste and carbon emissions. GS Engineering & Construction designed the wood components with increased thickness to secure fire resistance, considering wood’s vulnerability to fire.

Interior view of the Haedong Advanced Engineering Building at Seoul National University, constructed by GS Engineering & Construction. The courtyard area features a medium timber structure using wood, an eco-friendly building material, as the structural element. (Photo by GS Engineering & Construction)

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During the construction of the Haedong Advanced Engineering Building on the university campus, GS Engineering & Construction minimized noise and dust by using the OSC (Off-Site Construction) method for the research building’s exterior walls. The windows, walls, and insulation materials were pre-fabricated off-site as one-floor-sized modules and then installed on-site, reducing the amount of on-site fabrication work.

Additionally, the project was successfully completed by utilizing Precon (Pre-Construction) services. Precon is a technology where the client, designers, and contractors form a single team from the design stage to share know-how, create optimal designs, and check for interferences during construction through simulations in advance. This approach ensures optimal quality while preventing unnecessary increases in construction costs.

A GS Engineering & Construction official stated, “GS Engineering & Construction has expertise in wood-applied construction methods, such as wooden modular housing projects, and combined with Precon technology, we were able to complete this project successfully. We will continue to focus on the development and application of various technologies using eco-friendly wood materials to promote sustainable construction.”