Established over two decades ago, Amity Education Group offers education programs from pre-school to Ph.D. level to over 150,000 students worldwide. With campuses in London, Singapore, New York, Mauritius, China, and Romania, the purpose-design campus proposed for Dubai was heralded as significant for both the University and the UAE education sector. The exterior of the building was designed to be visually significant, while the interior design — critical to the quality of life and work for Amity students and educators alike — needed to reflect the pride, prestige and aspirational vision of the school.
Working closely with the architecture and planning teams, IRD provided the design for all the campus public areas, including the entrance lobby, secondary lobbies, auditorium, library, management office, student cafeteria, student club and other spaces. Critical to the approach was connecting common areas with students, therefore the approved designs provided simple, vibrant, flexible solutions allowing minds to think free and dream.
Large volume spaces and integration of different needs requirements were a design challenge and opportunity — large, awe-inspiring open spaces and lighting were emphasized to induce awe, yet counterbalanced by the use of timber and wood tones to preserve a sense of warmth and familiarity.
The project itself is still considered to be a milestone in the UAE and regional educational community, and student intake has doubled since opening doors.