Seoul Metropolitan Developmental Disability Welfare Center 'Optimized for Developmental Disabilities' Annex Construction... Opening in 2023

Demolishing 35-Year-Old Old Annex and Rebuilding at Four Times the Size

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Developmental Disabilities Welfare Center, the only city-run welfare center specializing in developmental disabilities in Seoul, will be transformed into a multipurpose space optimized for people with developmental disabilities after 35 years since its opening.

On the 25th, Seoul City announced that it will demolish the existing outdated one-story above-ground building, which opened in 1986, and construct a new building with one basement floor and four above-ground floors in its place. The space will be expanded to four times its current size.

Seoul City designed the building with an optimized flow for its main users, people with developmental disabilities, and plans to expand various activity spaces to offer high-quality new programs for those with severe developmental disabilities.

The newly constructed annex building will include a Challenge Room, Half Stage Room, Positive Behavior Support Room, Short-term Program Room, Teach Room, Psychological Stability Room, and Multipurpose Activity Room, which will be used as exclusive spaces for the Severe Developmental Disabilities Day Activity Support Project (Challenge II).

Seoul City selected the joint applicants Son Seok-gye (SNB Architects Office) and Shin Byung-ho (Jea Comprehensive Architects Office) as the final winners of the design competition held to prepare the optimal design plan. The design will be completed by the first half of next year, with construction finishing and the center reopening by the end of 2023.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Developmental Disabilities Welfare Center was established by Seoul City and is operated under consignment by a specialized institution (Korea Association for Developmental Disabilities Welfare). It is the only city-run welfare center among the six specialized welfare centers for developmental disabilities.

Kim Seong-bo, Director of Seoul City’s Housing Policy Office, said, “After 35 years, the aging and poor conditions of the Seoul Metropolitan Developmental Disabilities Welfare Center will be improved by constructing new spaces dedicated to programs for people with severe developmental disabilities, providing users with a more comfortable environment.” He added, “Through this design competition, we hope the aging welfare center will be reborn as a space where people with developmental disabilities and their families can use safely and comfortably and enjoy non-discriminatory welfare.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.