Designed to Inspire: A Contemporary Learning Environment for Westminster School
When Westminster Under School acquired a former office building two years ago, it marked a significant step forward in the school’s expansion and journey into co-education.
What began as a fairly unremarkable, corporate space would soon be transformed into a modern, streamlined learning environment designed to inspire the oldest pupils of Westminster Under School.
We spoke with Benedict Dunhill, Director of Expansion and Co-Education, about the vision behind the project and the role Witley Jones played in bringing it to life.
From Office Space to Inspiring Learning Environment
“The building itself was fairly boring,” Benedict reflects. “But the architects drew some wonderful pictures and opened up some of the spaces, introducing skylights which really did open the space up significantly.”
The architectural transformation introduced light and volume, but the next crucial step was to create interiors that matched the design’s ambition. The school wanted more than functional classrooms; they wanted a space that would feel progressive, comfortable and exciting for the older pupils of the under school, and help prepare them for transition to the great school.
“The next step was to work with an interior design company to discover how some of those spaces could be given the wow factor,” Benedict explains. “We were seeking to have our older pupils in the under school, some really interesting breakout spaces alongside their classrooms. That was high in our minds.”
Turning Vision into Reality
Working closely with WJ, the school began shaping informal learning areas that would complement formal teaching spaces.
The goal was to create colourful, fun breakout environments balanced with practical, robust classroom solutions, spaces that were both aesthetically pleasing and built to withstand the demands of daily school life.
“What was fascinating was seeing them firstly in 2D on a page, where you have some kind of idea of what they’d look like in the end,” says Benedict. “But the exciting part was seeing them from 2D to 3D and then into reality. And now, seeing the building completed has been a real joy.”
The finished interiors embrace modern design concepts, using space creatively and efficiently. Informal areas are vibrant and engaging, encouraging collaboration and independent study, while classrooms maintain a streamlined, contemporary feel.
Throughout the building, the design strikes a careful balance between comfort, practicality and visual impact.
Solving the Storage Challenge
As with any school project, storage was a key consideration.
“In any school building you’re always looking for storage. A school can never have enough,” Benedict notes.
Rather than relying on traditional locker rooms, the school chose a more integrated approach. Lockers were incorporated into and around classroom spaces, along with well-placed coat hooks to prevent items from being crammed into confined spaces. This approach not only maximised space but supported a more open, flexible layout.
“We wanted to move away from having locker rooms as such,” Benedict explains. “So the lockers came into spaces in and around classrooms, and we’ve used coat hooks as well, so coats aren’t stuffed into lockers. We’ve used the spaces as creatively as we can, and we worked with the company to overcome those challenges, thinking about how best to have the storage.”
The result is a layout with plenty of storage, seamlessly integrated into the design, ensuring the environment remains tidy, practical and conducive to learning.
A Collaborative and Rewarding Process
Throughout the project, collaboration was key. Designs were revisited and refined to ensure every space worked as intended.
“We revisited a few areas, and it was very easy working with the team at WJ,” Benedict says. “Seeing the building completed has been a real joy.”
Matt Jones, Director at Witley Jones reflected on the collaborative journey and the pride the team feels in the completed project:
“It has been a pleasure to work with the team at Westminster School, Circle Development and Myco on the project at Chapter House, which has taken the best part of two years from initial designs through to completion. Seeing the finished project now and knowing the work that has gone into it from the whole team at Witley Jones, it is a project that we are rightly proud of and very grateful to have been involved with.”
The Outcome
The completed building is a modern, robust and thoughtfully designed addition to Westminster School’s estate. It makes confident use of space, combining streamlined classroom environments with colourful, engaging breakout areas. The interiors are practical yet fun, aesthetically pleasing yet durable, spaces that reflect the under school’s forward-thinking approach to co-education.
Most importantly, the new environment is one that pupils can feel proud of: a comfortable, contemporary setting that supports collaboration, independence and academic ambition, and prepares them for the next stage in their schooling journey.
Stay up to date with furniture design trends
Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.