Apartment preferences shift: landscaping amenities gain 10 percentage points

[Financial News] More homebuyers are taking into account interior design and landscaping amenities, alongside location advantages, when choosing an apartment. As the share who prioritize housing prices has declined, major construction companies are also developing residential products featuring distinctive designs.
According to the “2026 Real Estate Trends” report jointly published on the 6th by Heerim Architects & Planners, R2 Korea Real Estate Investment Advisory, and Gallup Korea Research Institute, 33% of respondents selected “interior design and finishes within the home” as a product feature they would consider when choosing a home in the future, up 3 percentage points from the previous year.
The share of respondents who cited “green spaces and landscaping amenities within the complex” rose 10 percentage points, from 18% last year to 28% this year. “Floor plans and facilities within the home” also increased by 3 percentage points to 36%. By contrast, the share who selected “housing prices” fell 10 percentage points, from 58% to 48%.
In response to these trends, major construction companies are also actively working to strengthen their design competitiveness. They are developing their own design products and achieving success in domestic and international design competitions.
For example, the “Forena Cozy Curve Elevator,” jointly developed this year by Hanwha Corporation E&C Division and Hyundai Elevator Co., Ltd., was selected for the 2026 Good Design (GD) Awards. The company is also continuing to strengthen its differentiated design offerings, including Forena Edge Look, the Forena hair dryer storage system, Forena Signature security lights, and a pet washing station.
This year, GS Engineering & Construction won main prizes for four entries at Germany’s iF Design Award, including three lighting designs and “Club Xian,” a community facility at Maple Xi. It also won at the Red Dot Design Award, while at the U.S. IDEA 2026, its lighting designs “Ignis” and “Tod” each received a bronze award.
Samsung C&T Corporation’s construction division also won main prizes at the U.S. IDEA Design Awards for “Wind Library Garden” at Raemian One Perla and “Blue Forest Garden” at Jamsil Raemian I-Park. At the Asia Design Prize 2026, the teahouse at DH Daechi Edelweiss and the children’s playground at Hillstate Geomdan Forest by Hyundai Engineering and Construction were named winners in the space category.
These specialized designs are also being incorporated into newly marketed apartment complexes. One example is Hanwha Forena Jije Station in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, whose model home Hanwha Corporation E&C Division opened that day.
Hanwha Forena Jije Station will be built on and around Lot 725 in Segyo-dong, Pyeongtaek, with two basement levels and up to 27 floors above ground. The complex will comprise 12 buildings and 1,098 homes, with exclusive floor areas of 84 and 116 square meters.
The complex will feature Forena Cozy Curve elevators and Forena Edge Look. The entrance will incorporate the landscaping design “Grand Flow,” while the children’s play area is planned to include “Next Flow,” combining water play and relaxation.
The center of the complex will feature landscaping and leisure spaces, including a plaza, a children’s playground, and Pet Friends Park for pets. Community amenities will also include a fitness center, a GX room, a Pilates room, a small library, a reading room, a daycare center, and a community childcare center. The parking garage will be equipped with the overhead electric vehicle charging system “EV Air Station,” and Samsung C&T Corporation’s home platform “HomeNiq” will also be installed.

[email protected] Choi A-young Reporter