The year 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the debut of THE H. In April 2015, Hyundai E&C introduced THE H to the world under the slogan "One & Only Perfection," setting a new standard for residential excellence. Over time, the dignity and philosophy embedded in the brand have only grown stronger. THE H has evolved beyond a mere home into a space that builds both a way of life and an aesthetic experience.

The Pinnacle of High-End Living: A Decade of THE H

Hyundai E&C’s premium residential brand, THE H, has now celebrated its 10th anniversary. This year, THE H swept the top spots in both brand reputation for high-end housing and the Korean Standard-Quality Excellence Index (KS-QEI), once again proving its unrivaled status as Korea's leading luxury residential brand. These achievements are the fruition of Hyundai E&C’s accumulated technical expertise, professionalism, and ceaseless pursuit of perfection. To meaningfully commemorate this milestone, the company recently published the brand book THE H: The One & Only Perfection, which encapsulates the achievements and brand philosophy of the past decade.

The story of Hyundai E&C's luxury residential brands dates back half a century. Beginning with Korea’s first apartment complex, Mapo Apartment Complex, in the 1960s, Hyundai E&C set a new standard for luxury living in the 1970s with the Apgujeong Hyundai Apartment Complex. Even today, amidst countless new complexes, Apgujeong Hyundai remains a local landmark and an icon of its era. Hyundai E&C has consistently introduced era-defining luxury residences, including the high-rise residential-commercial complex Hyperion. This heritage of cutting-edge technology and practical know-how led to the birth of THE H in 2015—a high-end brand aspiring to the "One & Only Perfection."

THE H has established a new criterion for high-end lifestyles through differentiated design and sophisticated aesthetics. Landmark complexes dotting the heart of Seoul—such as THE H HONOR HILLS ("The first hotel-like residential complex in Gangnam"), THE H FORECENT ("A premium healing resort complex in the heart of Gangnam"), and THE H BANPO LA CLASS ("A residential masterpiece of overwhelming scale")—vividly demonstrate the reputation of this premium brand.

Where Scenery Becomes Home and Time Becomes Dignity

The past decade of THE H has been a journey of innovation in spatial design, aesthetics, and service. This shines brighter through the voices of the people living in these spaces than through mere data or figures. Recently, to mark its 10th anniversary, Hyundai E&C conducted a survey of residents in its completed complexes. Residents highly praised not only the beauty of the complexes but also the decorum of daily life and tranquility found within the natural environment."Even though it's in the heart of the city, you can still discern the passing of the seasons. In spring, the azaleas and forsythias are in bloom; in summer, deep greenery thrives; and in autumn, red foliage embraces the complex. But the most impressive sight is that of children playing within that natural landscape." As one resident described, the landscaping and spatial design of THE H naturally blend the flow of the seasons and the senses of nature into everyday life. The design, where landscapes, artwork, and the flow of light and wind harmonize as one, allows residents to experience "living that transcends housing and adds value to life." 

The cafes, lounges, saunas, and fitness spaces within THE H community centers transform the quality of daily life. "On weekends, I drink coffee with my neighbors and talk about art exhibitions. Drinking coffee here makes me feel like I'm at a real holiday resort." Such experiences show that THE H is evolving from a simple residential complex into a "Living Community." Community facilities represented by CLUB THE H have established themselves as central spaces that enrich residents' lives. Programs tailored to the characteristics of each complex are offered, developing into spaces that respect the lifestyle of every single resident.

Global Design: THE H's World-Class Touch

Collaborations with top Korean and global artists have been a journey of expanding life into art, beyond mere daily scenery. THE H BANPO LA CLASS is a prime example. The complex is home to "Cloud Walk," a collaboration between Dutch master Karel Martens—often called the "artist's artist"—and architect Choi Jang-won. This pavilion, which blurs the boundary between sculptural art and leisure facility, was recognized for its artistic merit at the 2022 Red Dot Design Awards, the 2021 Architizer A+ Product Awards, and the Good Design Awards in the US. The streamlined main entrance, "THE H Gate 32-8," designed by world-renowned installation artist Park Seon-gi, is another iconic work at THE H BANPO LA CLASS. Selected as an iF Design Award Finalist, this gate boasts unprecedented scale and magnificence, with over 12,000 LED lights.

[ "Cloud Walk" installed at THE H BANPO LA CLASS (left and top right) and the streamlined main entrance "THE H Gate 32-8" (bottom right) ]

British spatial designer Sinta Tantra added color and rhythm to the landscape of THE H HONOR HILLS. "Tasted Flight," which won the 2020 Asia Design Prize, is both a playground for children and an artistic medium that evokes emotions within the urban landscape. Additionally, works by global artists—such as a playground by beloved children’s fairy tale author Anthony Browne (THE H XI GAEPO) and "Forest of Flowers" by color magician Ab Rogers (also at THE H XI GAEPO)—add unique character to each complex, completing a new residential aesthetic where the city, art, and nature breathe as one.

[ Anthony Browne's playground at THE H XI GAEPO (left), and Sinta Tantra's "Tasted Flight" at THE H HONOR HILLS (right) ]

The artistic journey of THE H does not stop here. Pritzker Prize—often called the Nobel Prize winner of architecture—laureate Christian de Portzamparc and urban space designer Élisabeth de Portzamparc are generating a new wave of excitement through their participation in the design of THE H LE BLANC (part of the Sinbanpo 2nd Phase Reconstruction). The ‘2Portzamparc’ architectural duo hope to maximize Sinbanpo’s location facing the Han River, offering up a differentiated design that allows residents to enjoy the beauty of the river in their daily lives, while remaining within the heart of the city.

Architect Interview

Q1. What vision did you want to embody in THE H project?

A. Through THE H, we sought to redefine "the stage of life." Architecture should not be merely a structure but a platform where people, cities, and nature organically relate to one another. THE H's design was an experiment in harmonizing these three elements.

Q2. A word of encouragement for THE H on its 10th anniversary.

A. I believe the past 10 years of THE H have been a journey of redefining Korea’s high-end residential culture. The philosophy of beauty, solidity, connection with the community, and artistic experience in daily life will continue to enrich Korean housing. I sincerely congratulate THE H on its 10th anniversary and hope it continues to lead the paradigm that connects the city, people, and the natural environment, as embodied in its promise of "One & Only Perfection."

Neo Living: For the Start of a Perfect Life

A perfect home is not simply a well-built space, but is completed through meticulous consideration of advanced technology, design, management, and service. It is a home that induces transformations and improvements in daily life—even in aspects residents may not yet consciously recognize—leading them towards a better future like a living organism. The concrete realization of this philosophy is Neo Living. Recently announced by Hyundai E&C, Neo Living is a total residential solution where technology and sensibility harmonize, aiming for Health Sync Experiences, Seamless Experiences, and Elevating Experiences.

At the center of a "home that makes you healthier the longer you live in it" is the All Life-care House, which proactively cares for residents’ physical and mental health. A home that provides the assurance of health care simply by living there, and a home that becomes a safety net for you and your family's health before major or minor health warning signs like stress or falls appear—this is the essence of All Life-care House. With H-Sleep, which uses advanced biosensing technology to precisely analyze sleep states and create an optimal environment for rest, the H Calming Booth for better emotional equilibrium through meditation, and healthcare concierge and medical care services, residents naturally regain balance in their lives and find space for rejuvenation in comfortable spaces every day.

A "home where daily life is optimized" begins with spatial flexibility. Neo Frame is a modular system that allows residential space to be flexibly configured according to family type or lifestyle. Through a floor plan design that eliminates walls, residents can freely transform the space, which changes over time to match their lifestyles. This attention to detail is completed with the H Silent Solution. By applying buffer designs and sound-absorbing systems that drastically reduce inter-floor noise, the decorum of daily living is elevated even in hidden spaces so that family conversations and rest remain undisturbed. A variety of robot technologies, such as robot delivery, electric vehicle (EV) charging robots, and smart parking solutions, can simultaneously maximize residents' quality of life and safety.

A "residence that elevates the dignity of life" is completed by culture, art, and the provision of daily conveniences and differentiated concierge services. The recently announced H Culture Club is a new dimension of residential services that organically combines diverse community spaces and platforms provided within an apartment complex to offer customized services for each complex and imbue residents' lives with added value. This service, which connects the online and offline worlds, helps residents use increasingly high-end and large-scale apartment community centers and enrichment activities seamlessly.

THE Hrd Perfection

The past 10 years of THE H have been a journey of creating a new residential culture where life, art, and technology harmonize beyond a simple residential brand. The persistent pursuit of new challenges and innovation toward eventual perfection, and careful consideration of residents’ sensorial lives, are the paths THE H will continue to follow. The spaces THE H builds today will improve life tomorrow, and those lives will once again become the new standard of perfection. The journey of "One & Only Perfection" continues.