A rendering of the planned North Gyeongsang Province Office of Education special education center. [North Gyeongsang Province Office of Education]
A rendering of the planned North Gyeongsang Province Office of Education special education center. [North Gyeongsang Province Office of Education]

The North Gyeongsang Province Office of Education is moving ahead with plans to build a special education center aimed at helping students with disabilities live independently and participate in society.

The education office announced Wednesday that it had held a design competition jury for the planned facility — tentatively named the North Gyeongsang Province Office of Education Special Education Center — and selected a submission by Kim Young-geun of Handl General Architecture as the winning entry.

The center will be built at a total cost of 29.5 billion won ($22.2 million), rising four above-ground floors with a total floor area of 4,974.3 square meters.

The facility is intended to serve as a comprehensive education and cultural complex supporting independent living and career and vocational education for students with disabilities, while also being open to students, parents, teachers and local residents.

Inside, the center will include daily-living training rooms and career and vocational practice spaces designed with different disability types and developmental characteristics in mind.

Students are expected to build practical life skills and explore a range of career paths through hands-on activities, developing the capabilities needed for independent living and social participation.

Dedicated therapy support rooms, teacher training rooms and a counseling lounge will also be provided for parents and educators.

An open book cafe and multipurpose cultural space for local residents are also planned, with the aim of fostering greater understanding of disability and strengthening ties with the surrounding community.

"The special education center will be a cherished place of learning where students with disabilities can discover their potential and build the capabilities they need for independent living and social participation," North Gyeongsang Province Superintendent of Education Im Jong-sik said. "We will create an open educational space where the school community and local society can communicate and connect."


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