How to design collaborative classrooms with design furniture

What are collaborative classrooms

Collaborative classrooms are learning spaces that allow students or employees to carry out work or develop tasks with the rest of their colleagues, while interacting in an entertaining, more enjoyable and, above all, much more collaborative way.

The aim of collaborative work spaces is none other than to help foster participation and proactivity through teamwork and interaction between students that work to achieve a common goal. But not only that; participants can also acquire new skills related to soft skills, such as patience, motivation or leadership skills, which are essential for their future career.

Within the education and training sector, collaborative classrooms play a crucial role, as they allow students to share and develop common projects and goals through which they can interact and gain more knowledge.

Advantages of using collaborative classrooms

Collaborative classrooms have become the perfect solution as they foster collaboration with learning, independence and strengthen student’s reasoning.

At Viccarbe we are committed to designing collaborative environments that enrich the exchange of opinions and ideas, cooperation between users and the critical thinking of each of them. Collaborative classrooms advocate improving the spaces where knowledge is acquired through social interaction and teamwork. Here are some advantages when using this new model of space instead of the traditional classrooms we were used to:

• They help to generate interaction with classmates. The use of collaborative classrooms improves interpersonal relationships and social skills. In addition, collaborative classrooms generate a valuable feeling of unity, belonging and agreement among students.
• They increase student motivation. Designing spaces with flexible, attractive and modern furniture encourages teams to innovate, question themselves, share, compare and even debate their own ideas. Unlike traditional teaching spaces, collaborative classrooms encourage students to self-evaluate and develop their capacity for self-criticism.
• They prevent isolation. Not only do they improve productivity, but they also help to educate by promoting values of solidarity, generosity and cooperation, helping to improve relationships in these spaces and avoiding isolation from other colleagues.
• Stimulate participation. It is clear that two, three or four individuals think better than one: through these spaces we will manage to awaken the interest of the students and, therefore, their involvement in the work, motivating them to develop and focus it together.

What furniture do I use to design a collaborative classroom?

Choosing the right furniture for this type of project requires a prior analysis of the space available, the number of students who can use it or the purpose of the classroom itself.

Viccarbe has made a selection of the most popular collaborative workspace furniture:

Maarten Plastic Chair.

The Maarten Plastic chair is a versatile piece that has a distinctive character and silhouette at a very affordable price. The material used to manufacture this chair is polypropylene, which offers greater resistance in time and ease of cleaning and disinfecting. The Maerten Plastic Chair is available in multiple colors making it a good choice to add a fresh and fun touch that encourages participation in the classroom. It also works well in halls, offices or meeting rooms.

Klip Chair.

This collaborative chair is a good choice for shared spaces such as halls, libraries or cantines. The Klip Chair is stackable, versatile and available in a multitude of finishes. Its name refers to the cut-out backrest in its original model that serves both as a handle for easy movement and as a support for hanging school bags or backpacks. In addition, it is a product with a friendly price and adjusted to the market, making it ideal for places who need large quantities of chairs, such as educational centers or universities.

Trestle Table.

This piece was designed by the British architect John Pawson, the “creator” of minimalism. The Trestle Table is a versatile piece with an impeccable design that allows users to create infinite compositions, suitable for art classrooms, brainstorming sessions, encouraging teamwork, presenting and working on moodboards, and to create multiple compositions with it.

Sistema Sofa.

Designed by Livore Altheer Molina, Sistema is a very versatile piece, as it allows multiple combinations according to the needs of each client. The Sistema Sofa has different options of armrests, backrests, seats or accessories, for example. An optimal choice for welcoming areas, fishbowl rooms or unwinding lounges.

Thinking of designing collaborative classrooms with new and flexible collaborative furniture? Find the perfect piece for your project in our online catalogue. If you prefer, get in touch with us so we can answer any questions you may have.