After 5 years of construction, the Ananti at Gangnam, Seoul finally opened its doors to guests in June 2022. This exceptional luxury hotel is built in the exclusive and modern centre of the South Korean capital. Designed and realised by the talented SKM Architects from Seoul, it combines modern and functional architecture with breath taking, traditional construction in an arched and masonry look.

The concept is simple but hard to implement: all guests should not only be amazed when they enter, but should feel as comfortable as possible, neither missing out any comfort during their stay, nor being disturbed by other guests while relaxing in the various hotel and spa areas.

To make this possible, the hotel includes 118 spacious suites with high-quality interiors, all of which extend over two floors and can be booked in six different grades. Possible options include a separate terrace or garden area, penthouse panoramic views over the city or the larger family suite, which allows privacy even within the family, if desired. What truly sets Ananti apart from other hotels, however, is the spacious outdoor area with its exotic-looking swimming pool and the generously proportioned indoor pool, topped by glass roofs and surrounded by a multitude of red brick masonry arches.

For the implementation of the planning specifications, it was particularly important to find building materials that met the different requirements: on the one hand, they had to be 100% water-resistant and resistant to mould and mildew due to the high humidity exposure. On the other hand, they had to be flexible in order to accommodate the desired shape of the wall arches. And finally, they also had to have the necessary load-bearing capacity to support the clinker attached with brick adhesive. The decision relied on AQUAPANEL^® Cement Board Indoor – as the perfect solution for the interior walls of the swimming pools and the whirlpool in the basement. The cement board can support tiles up to 50kg/m², while weighing only 11 kg/m² and is therefore easy to install overhead.

For the exteriors, AQUAPANEL^® Cement Board Outdoor was chosen, as this product is extremely robust and weather resistant. The unique structure of the AQUAPANEL^® cement board technology allowed new and innovative possibilities for the design of curved walls, with a bending radius of up to three metres as a whole board and one metre for 300 mm strips. Altogether 5,500 m² were used of these two product variations.

Thanks to the exceptional performance of the AQUAPANEL^® Cement Board Technology, the Ananti at Gangnam will offer its guests this breath taking view for a long time and will make their stay an unforgettable relaxing moment.