Korean startup Urbanbase transforms interior design with 3D solutions

Ha Jin-woo, founder and chief executive officer of Urbanbase. [Courtesy of Urbanbase]

Urbanbase Inc., a South Korean startup specializing in a 3D spatial data platform, is attracting investors with its artificial intelligence-driven interior design solution, Autosketch, which enhances customer engagement in home interior design.

“There is a growing demand for personalized interiors with individual identity when remodeling homes,” said Ha Jin-woo, founder and chief executive officer of Urbanbase, in a recent interview with Maeil Business Newspaper. “We offer comprehensive solutions for creating personalized spaces.”

Founded in 2014 by the architect, Urbanbase has successfully commercialized Autosketch technology, enabling instantaneous conversion of 2D sketches into 3D models. “Autosketch generates a 3D layout of customers’ homes, enabling them to preview the post-interior appearance. While architects used to spend three days manually crafting a 3D layout from a 2D plan, AI can now complete it in just 2 seconds,” Ha said.

With an emphasis on its technological strength, Urbanbase has garnered a cumulative investment of 25 billion won ($188.5 million) in eight years since its inception, partnering with major domestic electronics, furniture, and interior companies, such as Shinsegaecasa Co., LG Electronics Inc., and Fursys Inc.

It has also made its presence known in foreign markets, including Japan, where prominent companies such as Nitori Co., advertising giant Dentsu Inc., and the third-largest Japanese furniture company Shimachu Co. have recently adopted Urbanbase’s services.

Urbanbase has also secured the technology to analyze interior spaces using AI and augmented reality (AR), enabling recommendations for suitable products and virtual furniture placement.

The foundation for such technical prowess lies in a vast database. Urbanbase has created around 98,000 3D layouts for domestic apartment units, covering about 96.5 percent of the country’s entire apartments. In Japan, it has secured around 102,000 3D layouts, covering approximately 60 percent of homes in Tokyo.

“Once a 3D building data is established, its value persists for at least 30 years until reconstruction. We are also accelerating 3D layout development in Singapore,” the founder said.

Ha noted shifts in interior trends, from mass-produced standardized interiors to personalized spaces that reflect individual personality.

“In the past, innovation relied on large-scale production of identical products. Now, individuals are presented with numerous options tailored to their own tastes. Our goal is to offer and distribute spaces specifically customized for individuals,” Ha said.

Simulation plays a vital role in customer-centric services and specialized sales methods for high-end interior products. Originally focused on business-to-business (B2B) transactions, providing software-as-a-service (SaaS) to renowned electronics and furniture companies, Urbanbase is now targeting the business-to-consumer (B2C) remodeling market.

The interior design industry is fragmented, with over 30,000 individual operators often resulting in consumer dissatisfaction due to poor workmanship by unlicensed entities. In response, Urbanbase has diversified into related ventures, including direct interior construction and furniture sales mediation. The company claims that among the approximately 100 projects completed using their service this year, not a single defect has arisen.