Bathrooms, Walls, and Furniture Freely Arranged... Inside Raemian 'Next Home' [Real Estate AtoZ]

Samsung C&T Unveils 'Next Home' Testbed Showcasing Next-Generation Residential Technology
'Next Ramen' Creates Column-Free, Open-Plan Living Spaces
Introducing 'Next Floor,' a Dry Floor System That Reduces Noise Between Floors
'Next Furniture,' M

"There are no columns within the living spaces here. Plumbing is installed on both sides of the home, and electrical equipment is placed on the ceiling, allowing flexible placement of water-using areas such as the kitchen and bathroom. This enables customized floor plans tailored to each family’s composition." (Byun Donggyu, Head of Residential Technology Innovation Team at Samsung C&T Corporation)

Samsung C&T Construction Division has completed the Next Home testbed applying next-generation residential technology in Dongbaek District, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do. An integrated living room expanded with the 'Next Ramen' implemented here. Provided by Samsung C&T

The "Future Raemian," which incorporates new technologies such as dry-constructed floors, modular bathrooms, and movable walls and furniture, has been unveiled.

On September 29, Samsung C&T Corporation announced that it had completed the "Next Home" testbed in the Dongbaek district of Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, where next-generation residential technologies have been implemented in an actual living space. Next Home is Samsung C&T’s future residential model, designed to break away from the uniform layouts of conventional apartments and allow residents to customize their spaces according to their lifestyles.

Two years ago, in August, Samsung C&T presented the blueprint for its future residential model. After developing the necessary technologies, the company has now completed the testbed space. The Next Home testbed, which was visited on September 26, is a three-story structure featuring a studio type for one- to two-person households and a family type for three- to four-person households.

Column-Free Living Spaces and Prefabricated Floors for Reduced Inter-Floor Noise

Samsung C&T's Next Home testbed features the Next Lamen structure. Electrical equipment is installed on the ceiling, and piping is arranged on the sides. Photo by Samsung C&T

This site was built with the new "Next Ramen" layout, which eliminates columns inside the home. The "Next Infill" system also allows for the flexible arrangement of walls, furniture, and bathrooms according to the number of household members or their lifestyles. The structure was constructed using the Precast Concrete (PC) method, where precast concrete components are assembled on-site. Executive Director Byun Donggyu explained, "We built the testbed using the PC method, which allows for a more stable frame and is less affected by seasonal changes. We expect this will significantly shorten construction time."

The floors, walls, and bathrooms here are made of modular, dry-assembled materials. This differentiates it from conventional apartment construction sites, which mainly use wet construction methods involving concrete pouring and curing. The "Next Floor," a dry floor structure, combines the advantages of the raised floors used in office buildings and the dry floors found in Japanese homes, and has been developed as a new technology suitable for Korean residences. Various pipes are installed under the floor, a steel plate is placed above them, and flooring is laid on top. Water-using spaces such as kitchens and bathrooms can be freely positioned, and dismantling, moving, or reinstalling them is easy, making structural changes more convenient. Traditional floor construction requires about a week just for mortar pouring and curing, but with Next Floor, assembly alone completes the process, resulting in faster construction and the ability to work even in winter.

A member of the Residential Innovation Technology Team at Samsung C&T Corporation stated, "The modular dry floor system uses a spring structure to absorb impact energy, providing excellent inter-floor noise reduction and more consistent performance compared to wet methods. It also heats up to the desired temperature more quickly, increasing energy efficiency by about 30%. We are currently testing various finishing materials such as tiles and wood flooring."

Samsung C&T Corporation's Construction Division has completed the Next Home testbed applying next-generation residential technology in Dongbaek District, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do. The modular prefabricated bathroom "Next Bath" view. Provided by Samsung C&T Corporation

Bathrooms That Can Be Placed Anywhere, and Furniture That Moves at the Push of a Remote

Here, you can also find the "Next Bath," a bathroom manufactured off-site and assembled on-site. There are two types: the pod bathroom, which is made as an integrated unit from frame to finish, and the system bathroom, which is assembled from panels on-site. The floor is dry-constructed, with the bathtub and sink arranged as needed. This approach ensures more consistent quality compared to traditional hand-built bathrooms, which can vary depending on the skill of the worker. The bathroom’s location can be freely chosen according to residents’ needs, and premium finishes can also be applied. Currently, Next Bath has been installed in the Raemian One Pentas guesthouse and will also be installed in the soon-to-open Jamsil Raemian I-Park guesthouse.

The "Next Wall" is a dry, modular partition wall. It can be moved and rearranged freely without rails, allowing for the expansion or separation of spaces. The finishing materials are detachable, enabling a variety of interior designs. "Next Furniture" overcomes the limitations of built-in furniture by allowing for easy relocation. Special motors are installed at the base, enabling users to move the furniture simply by pushing it. On-site, various types of Next Furniture, such as wardrobes and display cabinets, were arranged. When the remote control was activated, the motors moved up and down, making the furniture mobile. With a gentle push, the direction or position of the furniture could be changed.

You can change the furniture arrangement direction or freely utilize the space with 'Next Furniture'. Photo by Jinju Han

Next Furniture was first proposed for the Gwacheon Jugong Complex 10 redevelopment project and will be applied to other sites awarded to Samsung C&T, including Sajik 2 and Gwangan 3 districts in Busan, Namyeong 2 and Hannam 4 districts in Yongsan, Sinbanpo 4, and Gaepo Woosung 7. Next Wall will be offered as an option to cooperative members, and the number of sites adopting it is expected to increase starting next year.

Executive Director Byun explained, "In the past, living room art walls were offered as an option, but now they have become a standard interior feature. I believe that if the technologies applied in the testbed become visible to residents, their usage will increase. These developed technologies can be applied not only to remodeling projects but also to new developments. We aim to promote a culture where people choose new options and to expand the scope of their application."