Evolutionary Characteristics of Floor Plan Design in Public Rental Housing in Korean New Towns: Case Studies from 1990 to 2010

Since the construction of permanent rental housing in new towns began in the 1980s, South Korea has continuously supplied public rental housing. However, research on the qualitative changes in the floor plans of public rental housing and the institutional factors influencing these changes remains limited. This study examines the characteristics of changes in the floor plans of public rental housing in South Korean new towns by analyzing floor plan elements according to construction period and housing size, as well as the related legal and institutional frameworks that influenced the planning process. To achieve this, floor plan types were classified according to housing size for each development period, and the characteristics of floor plan elements were analyzed by type. In addition, floor plan types were compared according to housing size and construction period, and the causes of floor plan changes were examined through an analysis of the relevant legal and institutional frameworks that influenced floor plan planning. The results show that in the 1990s elongated floor plans with a one-bay structure centered on combined living and sleeping spaces were developed under dimensional regulations for individual rooms. In the 2000s, following the legalization of balcony expansion, floor plan types adopting two-bay and three-bay structures began to diversify. In the 2010s, floor plan types became further subdivided under district unit plan regulations and detailed guidelines of public institutions, and the variety of floor plans increased as housing unit size expanded. These findings indicate that the evolution of public rental housing floor plans has been shaped not only by design development but also by policy objectives and institutional frameworks. The results also provide important implications for housing policy and design standards aimed at improving the residential quality of public rental housing in the future.