Godwin Austen Johnson (GAJ), one of the largest British architectural and design practices in the UAE, said it has completed the work on its latest educational project – Sharjah English School.

Located in University City, the school is strategically placed with easy access from Sharjah, Ajman, Mirdif and parts of Dubai.

GAJ said the project has been completed in collaboration with Graphite and Pallavi Dean Interiors, who were tasked with designing and managing the building of the additional facilities for the existing school.  

On the project, Jason Burnside, a partner at GAJ, said: "The school set out a very clear vision for its next stage of growth and development that begins with the creation of a new home for its very youngest students."

"They wanted the new school block to be one that sends all of its users onto a journey of curiosity and learning. So we took this as an opportunity to build on the school's modest size and warm community feel capturing an overall British approach to education and design," he explained.

According to him, the initial design ideas for the school were developed in close cooperation with the school principal together with his early years and primary school teams.

"They wanted to increase their capacity from a small Primary to a three-form intake that will eventually feed through to the Secondary with the addition of new Foundation and Key Stage One building as well as a new primary multi-purpose hall," he added.

GAJ partners Pallavi Dean Interiors designed a neutral interior that allows student artwork to be displayed and celebrated without competing against the overall environment. Colour is used only as accents to frame and identify the different classrooms and play zones.

The central shared play corridor is a wide space lined with storage and activities that support curricular activity such as a hideaway role play house, a mini stage area and a computer touch down bay. The open play concept encourages children to explore and make their own space for play.

The landscape theme for the outdoor play and teaching areas for the school is based on a woodland garden concept to create an informal and natural space cleverly integrating outdoor play into the learning environment.

The interior design was done in close coordination with Pallavi Dean Interiors while the landscaping was managed by Vero Studio and the services by GAJ MEP, said Burnside.

GAJ, an award-winning and multi-disciplinary architecture, interior design, specialist lighting and MEP practice, is a major player in the UAE region. With its presence for more than 25 years, GAJ has created some of the emirates' most iconic buildings, he added.-TradeArabia News Service