Dongkuk Coated Metal unveils new color steel designs using AI to replicate wood, rock textures

Dongkuk Coated Metal, the color steel sheet arm of Dongkuk Steel Mill Group, has unveiled a new lineup of color steel designs that combine AI technology with the textures of natural materials. The company said that while AI now makes it possible to generate dozens of designs in a short time, standing out in the market still requires blending human sensibility with technology.

Dongkuk Coated Metal held the "Metal Trend 2027-28" event Thursday at Ferrum Tower in Seoul's Jung-gu, presenting its design direction and new products for the architectural and home appliance color steel sheet markets over the next two years.

Color steel sheets are products in which color, patterns and textures are applied to the surface of steel plates, used in the interior and exterior finishing of buildings as well as the outer casings of home appliances. Dongkuk Coated Metal has been announcing design trends every two to three years since launching the event in 2019, and this year marks its fifth edition.

The central keyword for this cycle is "interaction." The company said generative AI can produce scores of designs in a short time, but that combining human sensibility and natural textures — rather than relying on technology alone — is what matters most.

Dongkuk Coated Metal applied this concept in different ways to its architectural color steel line, Luxsteel, and its home appliance line, Appsteel.

Luxsteel, the architectural line, centers on the theme of "diversity" and focuses on replicating the characteristics of natural materials. Its designs are organized around two themes: "Timber," evoking wood, and "Strata," referencing rock formations.

Timber reinterprets the colors and forms of different wood species, while Strata captures the irregular, rough textures of rock and mineral surfaces. Both draw on AI technology while prioritizing surfaces that closely resemble real natural materials.

Appsteel, the home appliance line, takes "together" as its theme, pairing the inherent properties of metal with approachable design. "Chroma" draws on the distinctive colors, patterns and textures of metal to propose a forward-looking aesthetic, while "Ambiance" focuses on warm tones and natural surfaces designed to feel comfortable even after years of use.

At the event, Dongkuk Coated Metal screened a design presentation video alongside an exhibition of actual color steel panels, allowing visitors to compare the colors and surface textures of each product.

"Paradoxically, amid the great wave of AI, the sensibility for more human-centered architecture and craftsmanship is becoming more important," said Kwon Young-hwan, director of global sales at Dongkuk Coated Metal. "If we embrace cutting-edge technology but lose human sensibility, the future of color steel sheets will converge toward a commodity rather than a specialty." He added that "interaction and continuous differentiation are Dongkuk Coated Metal's unique strengths."