Special School Affiliated with N.T.T.U｜Lokot’s Great Adventure

Special school affiliated with N.T.T.U provides seamless transition services for students with special needs, helping them develop independent living skills, community interaction, and vocational readiness. Emphasizing physical education, the school encourages students to take on challenges like the “Cycling into Adulthood” rite of passage to showcase their growth. With this spirit, the team transformed a former tiered classroom into Taiwan’s first indoor climbing space designed specifically for special education students—a place where they can push limits, challenge themselves, and pursue their dreams. 

A TRIAL GROUND FOR COURAGE AND GROWTH 

Inspired by the Indigenous picture book Fish in the Tree: Lokot and the Bird’s Nest Fern, the design reimagines the protagonist Lokot’s journey from ocean to forest as a metaphor for students’ own paths of exploration and challenge. The climbing space is more than a sports facility—it is a meaningful arena where students build confidence, test their limits, and practice for life’s many climbs. 

TIERED FOR GROWTH: A STAGE FOR EVERY CHILD 

Using the original stepped structure of the classroom, the space was divided into three zones—exploration, challenge, and breakthrough—corresponding to students’ varying physical abilities. From cushioned zones that build basic confidence to bouldering walls and rope elements that encourage advanced challenges, the design allows every student to find their own pace and goal. Layered materials and a vibrant color palette evoke the theme of “from sea to forest,” guiding students through each climb as they build resilience and celebrate every “I did it!”—carrying courage and confidence into every new peak in life.