Nowadays major topics of apartment housing in Korea might be terms as 'good design' and 'energy performance'. In the aspect of good design, we should design apartments as various types and forms in order to get out of simple mass like matchbox. In the term of energy performance, we should plan apartments as high thermal performance to follow the 'Low Carbon & Green Growth Policy' of the Korean Government. But between design and energy concepts, there is antinomy. Concentrating on good design brings about dropping off energy efficiency in apartment. Strengthening thermal performance leads to simple mass cause by constructability of outer wall insulation. In this situation, the aim of this paper is to suggest the best ways of satisfying both good design and energy performance harmoniously in apartment housing by comparing domestic and foreign examples which is considered to be applied both good design and energy performance. In conclusion, I suggest three points : 1)apply new methodology such as IDP on early design stage, 2)use design strategy to ensure thermal performance such as constructability of outer wall insulation, 3)remove all unnecessary ornaments on the wall.