Introduction
In the early 20th century, pioneer architect Le Corbusier revolutionized modern architecture with his Dom-Ino System (1914). By utilizing reinforced concrete columns and horizontal slabs instead of thick, load-bearing masonry walls, he uncoupled structural support from interior space. This open-plan concept—one of his famous Five Points of Architecture—promised greater spatial flexibility, material efficiency, and structural freedom. However, despite the engineering elegance and flexibility of frame (post-and-beam) systems, the vast majority of modern residential multi-family housing across many parts of the world—most notably in South Korea and Eastern Europe—remains reliant on wall-bearing (shear wall) structures. This essay explores the economic, architectural, and socio-economic reasons behind this paradox, supported by global case studies.
The Misconception of Material Reduction vs. Construction Economics
While frame structures eliminate the need for heavy structural walls inside individual units, they do not automatically translate to lower total construction costs for high-density housing. The economic trade-off lies between raw material weight and construction process efficiency:
Global Case Studies: Differential Housing Dynamics
1. South Korea: The Apex of Shear Wall Efficiency
South Korea represents the most prominent example of wall-bearing dominance. Driven by rapid urbanization in the 1970s and 1980s, state-led housing developments (such as the Bundang and Ilsan New Towns) prioritized rapid, high-density construction.
2. Western Europe & North America: Frame Systems and Infill Housing
In countries like Germany, France, and Canada, multi-family residential housing frequently utilizes frame structures (or hybrid post-tensioned slab systems without deep beams) combined with non-structural drywall partitions.
Conclusion
Le Corbusier’s column-and-slab architecture permanently liberated design from the constraints of heavy masonry. However, when applied to mass residential housing, the strict economics of floor-height reduction, formwork repetition, and spatial layout favored the wall-bearing system over frame-based freedom. While shear-wall apartments achieved unmatched cost efficiency during periods of rapid urbanization, modern challenges—such as acoustic discomfort and the inability to remodel older housing stock—are prompting a contemporary shift back toward flexible, frame-based structural systems.
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