Case Study: Dubai College
Flexible furniture for classrooms, collaboration and student life in Dubai
Dubai College is an independent, co-educational secondary school in Dubai with a strong focus on academic excellence.
For this project, Office Inspirations worked alongside Godwin Austen Johnson Architects to translate the interior concept into a practical, cohesive furniture package for learning, collaboration and social connection.
Office Inspirations supplied, delivered and installed furniture across classrooms, offices, seminar rooms, lobbies, breakout zones and an outdoor terrace. The wider scope also included presentation custom boards and smart boards, creating an integrated environment in which furniture and learning technology work together.
Supporting different ways of learning for Dubai College Project
A contemporary school needs more than a single classroom setting. Students move between individual concentration, teacher-led learning, group discussion and informal exchange throughout the day.
The furniture therefore needed to support quick transitions while remaining comfortable, robust and visually consistent.
The completed specification combines mobile classroom furniture, high tables, stools and relaxed lounge pieces. Together, these elements give teachers and students a choice of postures and settings without losing the order and durability required in a busy educational environment.
The new History & Politics and English classrooms were designed to support everything from focused individual work and teacher-led lessons to group discussions and social connection, while posters created by the students add personality and reflect their ideas.
Classrooms designed to adapt
Some classrooms feature Clara high tables and Noom Serie 50 stools. These settings introduce an alternative working height for discussion, project work and shorter collaborative activities, adding variety to the learning landscape.
Flexibility sits at the centre of the classroom package. Office Inspirations supplied Multiflex student tables in rectangular, kite, square and D-shaped formats. Many include lockable castors, allowing layouts to move from rows to small-group clusters or collaborative configurations with minimal disruption.
The Vanerum teacher board brings analogue and digital teaching together in one integrated wall system. Connected to the classroom computer, the central display allows teachers to present digital lesson content clearly, while the sliding whiteboard surfaces provide ample space for handwritten notes, diagrams and worked examples.
Standard and custom-made magnetic whiteboards, manufactured from ceramic steel and backed by Smit Visual’s lifetime warranty, were integrated into classrooms, seminar rooms and collaborative spaces. They provide teachers and students with generous writable surfaces for explaining ideas, visualising concepts and working together.
The boards were paired with green Chameleon Writing acoustic panels, which help absorb reverberation and disruptive noise while adding a distinctive visual feature to the space.
Together, the writing and acoustic surfaces turn the walls into active tools for communication, concentration and learning.
Breakout spaces that invite connection
Learning continues between lessons.
Across the breakout areas and shared spaces, the furniture creates places where students can meet, exchange ideas, read or pause between classes. The mix includes modular seating, laptop tables and poufs, giving each area a clear purpose while keeping the overall experience relaxed and welcoming.
Furniture for staff and meetings
The package extends beyond student areas. Offices and meeting rooms were equipped with workstations, mobile pedestals, meeting tables and visitor seating.
This consistent approach helps the building work as a connected whole. Materials, colours and forms change according to function, but the furniture maintains a common design language from classroom to office and from breakout area to lobby.
Extending learning outdoors
The English classroom terrace adds another dimension to the project.
The result is an extension of the indoor learning environment rather than a separate, secondary space.
The result
The Dubai College project demonstrates how a considered furniture package can support the full rhythm of school life. Mobile tables allow classrooms to change with the lesson. Ergonomic seating supports students and staff through the day. High tables, lounge furniture and poufs introduce choice, while office, meeting and outdoor settings extend the same functional approach throughout the building.
By working closely with GAJ Architects and coordinating the supply, delivery and installation of a wide range of products, Office Inspirations helped create an educational environment that is adaptable, durable and ready for different ways of learning.
Check more about this project here.
Dubai College Project Summary
Project | Dubai College |
Location | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
Architecture and Interior design | Godwin Austen Johnson Architects |
Office Inspirations scope | Furniture supply, delivery and installation |
Areas | Classrooms, offices, seminar rooms, Harkness room, lobby, breakout spaces and outdoor terrace |
Sector | Education |
OI Sales Manager and Project Lead: | Jayne Washbourne |
