Transformation of Vacant Geumnam-ro Underground Mall Spaces
Establishing a Dedicated Cultural Experience Hub for Children
Gwangju Donggu officially opened "Shining Ainara," a children's complex cultural space created by utilizing vacant stores and idle spaces within the Geumnamro underground shopping mall, and has begun full-scale operations. Provided by Gwangju Donggu
On August 12, Gwangju Donggu announced that it has officially opened "Binnaneun Ainara," a complex children's cultural space created by utilizing vacant stores and idle spaces in the Geumnam-ro underground shopping mall, and has begun full-scale operations.
On August 13, the district will host an official opening celebration, inviting District Mayor Lim Taek, Donggu Council Chair Moon Sunhwa, representatives of local children's organizations, parents, and children. The event will begin with an opening performance involving children, followed by a tour of the facility and hands-on experiences with on-site programs for all attendees.
Children will be able to directly participate in a variety of programs, including creating their own AI-based fairy tale videos, drawing media art, and engaging in craft workshops.
Donggu began planning this project in 2021 to transform the long-vacant spaces in the Geumnam-ro underground shopping mall into a cultural experience center for children. Covering approximately 1,600 square meters (500 pyeong), "Binnaneun Ainara" is largely divided into an Art Creation Studio and a Fairy Tale Workshop. The Art Creation Studio is an artistic space offering sensory experiences such as media art exhibitions, crafts, and painting activities, allowing children to express their creativity through digital drawing and creative projects.
The Fairy Tale Workshop, an experience space utilizing AI-based technology, allows children to create their own stories by generating characters, composing storylines, and setting backgrounds. In addition, the facility features a lounge area for guardians and a safe indoor environment created with eco-friendly materials, enhancing user-centered convenience and overall quality.
Going forward, the district plans to use "Binnaneun Ainara" as a hub for operating age- and season-specific specialized programs, developing experiential content in collaboration with educational institutions such as kindergartens and elementary schools, and implementing cooperative programs with the National Asia Culture Center's Children's Culture Center. The space is expected to expand beyond a simple play area to become a public cultural platform that engages with the local community.
District Mayor Lim Taek stated, "'Binnaneun Ainara' is a space where children can fully unleash their imagination, and it serves as an open cultural hub nurtured by the entire community. As there are very few cases nationwide where idle underground shopping mall spaces have been remodeled into dedicated cultural spaces for children, we will provide our full support to ensure that children, as the protagonists of the future generation, can grow together with Donggu, a city of humanities."
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