Recognised at the Architecture Leaders Awards 2025, the project reimagines school design by bringing together cultural integrity, wellness, nature, modular innovation and a learner-first thinking 

Dubai, July 10, 2025: Rashid and Latifa School in Dubai has been named Educational Building of the Year at the recent Architecture Leaders Awards 2025, hosted by Design Middle East. Designed by Koda, the Kidzink Office of Design and Architecture, the project reimagines school design, combining cultural integrity, wellness, nature, modular innovation and learner-first thinking.  

Originally intended as a temporary campus for members of the UAE’s founding family, the design of the school was intended to be a flexible environment designed to embrace and evolve with the next generation of learners and leaders. Built in just seven months, it was designed with permanence in mind, capable of evolving into an integral part of the future campus while meeting the highest standards of learning and well-being from day one.  

“This school challenges the idea that temporary means temporary,” says Dain Dominic, Associate Director of Architecture, Koda. “From the outset, it was envisioned as a lasting, flexible learning environment, one that honours tradition while embracing innovation,” he explains.  

Inspired by Emirati settlement patterns, the design features a series of interconnected buildings under a unified canopy, organised into gender-specific wings each anchored by central courtyards. The use of breakout spaces, cultural references in materiality and a seamless indoor-outdoor flow all contribute to a campus where every square metre plays an active pedagogical role. Interior environments were shaped to reduce cognitive overload, support sensory regulation and gently guide students between focus, interaction and retreat.  

The award builds on Koda’s growing recognition as a key player in educational architecture. The practice was officially launched in 2024 as the architectural arm of Kidzink, a Dubai-headquartered educational design firm that has delivered more than 250 educational projects across 23 countries. Earlier this year, Koda’s design of The Mangrove Café for Taaleem earned a German Design Award, and its work on Dubai British School Jumeira was commended at the Identity Design Awards.   

Koda’s presence at the 2025 Architecture Leaders Awards extended beyond project recognition. Laura Hughes, a senior leader within the firm, was highly commended in the Woman Icon of the Year category, while Dain Dominic, Associate Director of Architecture, was shortlisted for Architect of the Year.  

“These awards reflect the collective vision of the Kidzink and Koda teams, a group committed to reimagining what learning environments can be when an innovative vision meets not just a diverse skill set and bespoke service offering, but also an unwavering commitment to quality in education,” says Charlotte Borghesi, Co-Founder of Kidzink & Koda.   

“We’re thankful to the Rashid and Latifa School team for entrusting us, this award highlights that the school and its story are more than a building. It’s a blueprint for the future of education in the region,” she adds.