POSCO Gwangyang Giga Town

Award Criteria

Architectural Excellence

Giga Town is the first modular mid-&high-rise building in Korea. It is a high-end dormitory facility that reflects the convenient and modern lifestyle of POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks employees. This unique building consists of 200 modules, starting with two floors of reinforced concrete. The structure of the building consists of 10 steel frame modular floors, and various shapes and sizes of modules are arranged by applying POSCO A&C’s design concept. In addition, a wide walkway of 6 to 7 meters has been installed between the building and the parking lot to secure pedestrian oriented path. It improved the environment around the building and created an environment where user can move comfortably around the building. The first to second floors are used as community facilities and retail spaces. These facilities provide workers with a space for rest and communication. Giga Town is a unique and innovative facility that combines modern architectural technology and design.

Technical Innovation & Sustainability

POSCO A&C introduced an innovative construction method incorporating 3D design and prefabricated technology with the main goal of reducing manufacturing costs and improving productivity. First, designers, manufacturers, and contractors collaborated to review design suitability in advance using digital mock-up. Pre-built steel frame modules enable construction time 40% faster than RC construction, and quality improvement is achieved through BIM technology. In addition, Mega-brace technology and High-strength bolt technology were used in the process of connecting each module to improve the durability of the building. In addition, the double walls and floors show excellent performance in terms of impact sound and noisy. This increases the safety of the building in terms of fire preparedness and ensures firm sustainability to the surrounding environment. POSCO A&C’s innovative construction technology and environmental future building standards are a good example.

Cost Effectiveness

Gigatown reduced waste by 50% compared to RC construction. This is a significant achievement that emphasizes environmental protection and sustainability. This significantly reduces the amount of waste generated in the construction industry and contributes to the conservation of resources. In addition, efforts to minimize bringing construction machinery and equipment to the site have also reduced energy consumption. POSCO A&C adopted an approach to proactively review design errors using BIM technology, 3D mock-up, and pre-simulation. The 3D-based process management program efficiently monitors module manufacturing process, the number of workers and costs to maximize productivity. Utilization of these digital technologies has helped reduce construction schedules and reduce costs by effectively tracking and managing projects. This project deserves to be evaluated as a best practice in many ways, including environmental protection, safety, and efficiency.