Banpo-dong Raemian One Pentas Guesthouse Modular Bathroom Phase 2 Installed for the First Time in Korea
Bathroom Work Expected to Take Over 6 Months Completed in One Month, Relocation and Reuse Possible
The bathroom space has become a mass-produced product. With the commercialization of factory-made 'Modular bathrooms,' individuals or cooperatives can now order modular bathrooms as a single product during the housing design phase.
In the guesthouse of Raemian One Pentas in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, which was completed last June and is currently being occupied, two modular bathrooms were installed in September last year. While there have been cases where 'Unit Bath (UBR)' sets composed of bathtubs, washbasins, and toilets were brought to the site and assembled, this is the first time that entire bathrooms were manufactured in a factory, transported, and installed as a whole.
Interior of the 'Modular Bathroom' installed in the guest house of Raemian One Pentas in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Saturn Bath]
The modular bathroom is a concrete rectangular cuboid measuring 1.8m wide and 2.3m long, and it was completed by inserting the modular bathroom brought from the factory into the empty space of the guesthouse of this apartment under construction using the 'infill' method.
The modular bathroom process includes frame manufacturing → gypsum board installation → wet and dry waterproofing → floor and wall tile installation → tile finishing and internal facilities → plumbing, water supply, and electrical connections → installation of furniture, faucets, and toilets → on-site relocation installation and connection of facilities, all completed within one month.
Bathroom work on construction sites usually takes about six months, but with modular bathrooms, since the bathroom is placed after the flooring work of the living room and rooms is completed and only the facilities need to be connected, the work time is significantly reduced. Depending on lifestyle, the location of individual spaces with toilets and bathtubs can be freely moved, and they can be relocated and reused (reinstalled) elsewhere.
Samsung C&T Corporation and bathroom specialist company Saturn Bath hold joint patents related to modular bathroom manufacturing. They produce them at Saturn Bath's Pocheon factory. A Samsung C&T official, the contractor for One Pentas, stated, "Since the bathroom is pre-manufactured and constructed modularly, it is excellent in terms of future processes, site management, and quality," adding, "As the residents' response is positive, we are also considering applying it to other sites."
Modular bathrooms are also bringing a fresh breeze to the furniture and bathroom industries. Recently, the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) announced plans to build modular housing up to 13 floors and supply 10% of housing units, including communal rental housing, as modular housing, sparking active research on modularization and remodeling methods for individual spaces such as kitchens and bathrooms.
Jung In-hwan, CEO of Saturn Bath, said, "More companies are researching and developing remodeling methods and modularization for individual spaces, including kitchens and bathrooms," adding, "Modular bathrooms can be an alternative for construction sites lacking skilled installers and are highly efficient. In fact, some cooperatives have requested turnkey solutions, and inquiries about modular bathroom installations are pouring in."
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