Samoo Architects & Engineers wins top prize at modular construction awards

A drawing of a Samsung Electronics training facility in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. (Samwoo Architects & Engineers)

Samoo Architects & Engineers has won first place in the Permanent Modular Education category at the World of Modular Awards, the company announced Monday.

The modular and off-site construction industry awards were held in Las Vegas from April 20 to 23, bringing together architects, manufacturers, engineers and construction firms working in prefabricated and modular building technologies.

Samoo received the award for a large-scale training facility it designed for Samsung Electronics in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, with a floor area of about 9,830 square meters, completed using 338 modular units.

The building was constructed almost entirely using modular methods, except for the underground reinforced concrete structure, shortening the construction period by about six months compared with conventional construction, according to the company.

The project was noted for "challenging the perception of modular architecture" as temporary construction. The architectural firm applied an "Edu Facade" concept and environmental control systems to achieve the quality expected of a permanent educational facility.

"This award reflects global recognition of Samoo’s modular construction technology and design capabilities. We plan to expand modular construction across a wider range of future project," an official from the company said in a statement.

More than 1,800 participants from 30 countries submitted around 180 projects as entries in multiple categories, according to Samoo Architects & Engineers.