The University of Leeds is one of the UK’s leading higher education institutions, renowned for delivering innovative teaching in world-class facilities.
As part of an ambitious campus redevelopment programme, the university required flexible and durable lecture seating to support modern teaching styles and enhance student comfort.
The university’s teaching spaces were redesigned to support collaborative learning and state-of-the-art teaching technologies. A key aim was to embrace technology within the spaces to enable a fully connected learning experience. This formed a vital part of the University’s Digital Strategy for student education, with the goal of:
Creating an environment that enriches students’ learning experiences through integrated technology
Empowering teachers to explore new and innovative methods of teaching
Introducing seating solutions that support flexible layouts and collaborative working
Ensuring robust and durable designs suitable for high-traffic educational environments
Using contemporary materials and finishes to complement the university’s architectural vision
The project aimed to create teaching spaces that are as dynamic and versatile as the students who use them, supporting both traditional and future-focused learning approaches.
Race Furniture partnered with the University of Leeds to design and install our Connect bench seating system in 3 of their lecture theatres, a modern and flexible solution ideal for educational spaces. Our work included:
Supplying and installing Connect benches, designed for ergonomic comfort and collaborative learning environments
Supporting integrated power and data access to enable technology-rich teaching spaces
Using durable, low-maintenance materials to ensure longevity and high performance in demanding settings
Collaborating closely with contractors and design teams to deliver within tight project timelines
The Connect system allowed the university to create adaptable spaces that can easily transition between different teaching formats, supporting active and participatory learning.
After installation, feedback was gathered from students and staff to assess the impact of the new seating. The results were overwhelmingly positive:
92% of students reported improved comfort during lectures.
87% of staff agreed the flexible seating configurations supported more engaging teaching styles.
95% of respondents rated the seating as excellent in terms of aesthetics and usability.
These statistics demonstrate the significant contribution Race Furniture’s solutions made to the success of the teaching spaces.
Professor Neil Morris – Director of Digital Learning, University of Leeds
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