New Brunswick
Our role in NBCC Living Labs across New Brunswick
Sector:
Education
Across Atlantic Canada, education is moving toward spaces that resemble real workplaces rather than traditional classrooms. The New Brunswick Community College is one of the institutions leading this transition by developing its Living Labs concept. These are environments where students can collaborate, think critically and apply their learning in settings that simulate the realities of professional work. Atlantic Business Interiors had the opportunity to support this initiative by furnishing the Living Labs with exclusively Steelcase education furniture.
What is Living Lab
A Living Lab is not simply a room with desks and chairs. It is a learning environment intentionally built to activate participation, critical thinking and collaboration. At NBCC, Living Labs are used for applied research, capstone projects, service learning and partnerships with industry. They simulate real work environments so students can gain confidence before stepping into their careers. This vision aligns strongly with the work of Atlantic Business Interiors. For each of the three campuses, our team supplied and installed exclusively Steelcase education furniture. Every element was chosen with a purpose: flexible configurations to support teamwork and lectures, ergonomic seating for student comfort and focus, durable finishes for long-term use and technology-ready surfaces to support digital learning. Furniture was not simply placed in a room. It was treated as part of the learning process.
Designed for creativity and collaboration
The furniture used in these spaces was chosen to encourage participation and movement. Tables are easily reconfigured so students can shift from presentation mode to group discussion without disrupting the flow of the session. Seating supports posture and focus, allowing learners to remain engaged during longer work periods. Writable surfaces and mobile layouts allow thinking to be shared openly, while digital tools and technology-ready elements make hybrid and research-based learning possible. In these environments, furniture becomes part of instruction. It helps shape the way students interact with one another and immerse themselves in practical, career-focused tasks.
The photos demonstrate that learning does not happen only at the front of a room. It happens in the way people gather, in how ideas move, and in the connections formed between students. The Living Labs at NBCC reflect this understanding clearly. They show how thoughtful design can turn a classroom into an active learning environment, one where students think, discuss and build confidence in preparation for their careers.
Choosing the right products for Education
Designing a learning environment begins long before the first class takes place. It starts with choosing products that genuinely support the way students think, collaborate and absorb information. In education, furniture is not just a fixture in the room. It can become an active part of teaching. That is why the selection of Steelcase education products for NBCC was driven by one question: how can space help students learn better?
The photos from the Saint John campus show this philosophy clearly. The tables are shaped for interaction, with softened edges and a generous surface that encourages movement between individual work and discussion. They roll easily, allowing the classroom to shift from lecture mode to group work without interrupting the flow of learning. Small details such as built-in hooks for bags and books keep the workspace clean and uncluttered, freeing the student to focus on the task in front of them. These features may seem subtle, yet they are essential in an environment where comfort and mobility have a direct impact on engagement.
The seating plays an equally important role. Steelcase education chairs are designed for posture, attention and durability. Their modern shape offers flexibility and movement rather than forcing students to sit still in one position. The base provides storage space and keeps personal items out of the way while leaving the floor open and safe for circulation. The bright colors add energy to the room without distracting from the purpose of the space. Each chair feels approachable and sturdy, the kind of chair that belongs in a place where ideas are expected to move.
Writable surfaces are another essential element in active learning spaces. The photos show tall movable whiteboards positioned beside work zones, along with a full wall of portable boards waiting to be used. These tools give students a way to express their thinking visually, work through a process as a team and make ideas visible to the room. They also allow educators to shift from presentation to facilitation, transforming the room into a hands-on studio rather than a traditional classroom.
Technology has also been built directly into the environment. In the centre of the tables stand modern power towers that provide easy access to charging without cluttering the workspace with cables. This integration supports digital learning and hybrid collaboration while keeping the room organized and efficient. When students can plug in, write, move and regroup without disruption, the environment begins to act as part of the instruction.
Writable surfaces are another essential element in active learning spaces. The photos show tall movable whiteboards positioned beside work zones, along with a full wall of portable boards waiting to be used. These tools give students a way to express their thinking visually, work through a process as a team and make ideas visible to the room. They also allow educators to shift from presentation to facilitation, transforming the room into a hands-on studio rather than a traditional classroom.
Technology has also been built directly into the environment. In the centre of the tables stand modern power towers that provide easy access to charging without cluttering the workspace with cables. This integration supports digital learning and hybrid collaboration while keeping the room organized and efficient. When students can plug in, write, move and regroup without disruption, the environment begins to act as part of the instruction.
What we take from this
Choosing the right products for education means choosing tools that serve the long term. Steelcase products are built to adapt to changes in curriculum, teaching style and student need. Each element in these spaces demonstrates this idea. When furniture is designed to support attention, mobility and communication, it strengthens the learning that takes place within it.
The Living Lab at NBCC shows how intentional design can activate education. With the right tables, chairs, writable surfaces and technology supports, a classroom becomes more than a place to sit. It becomes a space where students can think out loud, explore freely and prepare themselves for the world beyond the campus. That is the power of choosing the right products for education and that is why Atlantic Business Interiors continues to invest in solutions that help learning come alive.
The Living Lab at NBCC shows how intentional design can activate education. With the right tables, chairs, writable surfaces and technology supports, a classroom becomes more than a place to sit. It becomes a space where students can think out loud, explore freely and prepare themselves for the world beyond the campus. That is the power of choosing the right products for education and that is why Atlantic Business Interiors continues to invest in solutions that help learning come alive.
