15+
Years in practice
Think. Design. Build. Transform.
Interior design training taught inside a working studio.
7
Promises to every student
3
Courses to study
The Artwork Difference
You will learn to
- Think
- Create
- Build
- Solve
- Lead
And you will graduate ready to face the world.
0+
Years in practice
Studio
Taught beside live work
Nairobi
Hamp Court, Suite 6
Promises
Why Artwork School of Design
Our 7 promises to every student.
01
Design for real life, not just grades
At Artwork, you will not spend two years designing imaginary projects that exist only on paper. You will work on real world briefs, real spaces, real constraints and real client problems. You learn to understand people, culture, behavior and purpose before you put pencil to paper.
Artwork promise: we teach you to design spaces that work, not just spaces that look good.
02
Take a design from concept to completion
Most designers learn to design. Artwork will teach you how to deliver. You will learn construction, detailing, materials, specifications, costing, procurement, project management, site coordination and handover.
Through our Design Build approach, you will have opportunities to make and build, not simply draw.
Artwork promise: you will leave knowing how your design becomes reality.
03
Become a digital designer for the future
The design industry is changing rapidly. Artwork students will develop practical competence in CAD, BIM, 3D visualisation, AI assisted design, digital collaboration and emerging technologies.
You will not simply learn software. You will learn how technology can make you a better designer.
Artwork promise: you will graduate digitally confident and ready for the future of design.
04
Design for people and the planet
Beautiful spaces are not enough. They must support health, wellbeing, accessibility, inclusion and environmental responsibility.
You will learn universal design, ergonomics, lighting, acoustics, indoor environmental quality, sustainable materials, energy efficiency, circular design and climate responsive design.
Artwork promise: you will learn to create spaces that are beautiful, inclusive, healthy and responsible.
05
Learn the business behind design
A great designer must understand more than creativity. Artwork will teach you how design makes and saves money, through estimating, BOQs, budgeting, value engineering, procurement, contracts, fees, negotiation, client management and entrepreneurship.
You will understand how to turn your creative ability into a sustainable career or business.
Artwork promise: we will equip you not only to get a job, but to create opportunities.
06
Learn from the industry, not just the classroom
Artwork will connect students directly with the professionals who design, build, operate and manage the built environment.
Through industry mentors, site visits, guest practitioners, live briefs, internships, design reviews and professional juries, you will experience the realities of the industry before graduation.
Artwork promise: you will graduate with industry exposure, not just academic knowledge.
07
You will develop a global mindset with an African identity
We believe African designers should not have to choose between global excellence and African identity.
Artwork will expose you to international design standards, global trends, sustainability frameworks and emerging technologies while encouraging you to explore Kenyan and African culture, materials, craftsmanship, climate, creativity and ways of living.
You will learn to compete globally without losing the originality that makes African design timeless.
Artwork promise: we will prepare you to take African design to the world, and bring global thinking home.
Why Artwork Interior Design School?
Working with interior designers and delivering projects for over 15 years, we realized that there is a significant gap between what many interior design students are taught and what the built environment industry truly needs. Many graduates are equipped to create beautiful spaces, but fewer are prepared to understand the people who use those spaces, the buildings that contain them, the businesses that operate within them, or the environmental impact of the choices they make.
We saw an opportunity to prepare students not just for a career in interior design, but for a future in the rapidly evolving built environment. Artwork was established to offer a distinctive learning model: Think. Design. Integrate. Build. Operate. Measure. It combines rigorous creative design education with BIM and digital technology, hands on design build experiences, real industry briefs, construction and project management, business and commercial skills, universal design, sustainability, facilities management and post occupancy evaluation.
At Artwork, students will learn to think beyond trends and aesthetics, to understand why a space works, who it serves, how it is built, what it costs, how it performs, and how it can positively influence people's lives and the planet. They will graduate as a new generation of Kenyan and African designers who are creative enough to envision, technical enough to deliver, commercially aware enough to create value, globally informed enough to compete, and human centred enough to transform the way people experience the built environment.
Artwork School of Design is a launchpad for the next generation of built environment professionals, connecting education with industry, creativity with technology and design thinking with global standards. We are not simply preparing students to find jobs. We are preparing them to become designers who can create jobs, lead the market and shape the future of the world's built environment.
Our vision
To be Africa's leading design school, shaping creative, ethical and future ready designers who transform the built environment and influence how people live, work and experience the world.
Our mission
To empower the next generation of designers through an education that connects creative thinking with technology, human wellbeing, sustainability and real world delivery. We develop designers who can think critically, design boldly, build responsibly and create measurable value, bridging creativity with global standards and preparing our students to lead the evolving built environment.
Our core values
Creativity
We imagine what could be.
We encourage curiosity, originality, experimentation and courageous thinking. We believe design should challenge assumptions and create new possibilities.
Humanity
We design for people.
We put human experience at the centre of design. We value empathy, inclusion, accessibility, wellbeing, dignity and the understanding that every space affects the people who occupy it.
Excellence
We pursue a higher standard.
We demand excellence in thinking, craftsmanship, technical knowledge, communication and execution. We prepare students to meet international standards while developing their own authentic design voice.
Integrity
We do the right thing.
We value honesty, accountability, professionalism and ethical practice. We teach students that good design is not only about what can be created, but also what should be created.
Sustainability
We design for tomorrow.
We take responsibility for the environmental and social consequences of design decisions. We promote resource efficiency, circularity, climate responsiveness and designs that remain valuable throughout their lifecycle.
Collaboration
We achieve more together.
The best environments are rarely created by one person. We teach students to work with clients, designers, architects, engineers, contractors, artisans, manufacturers, communities and technology to achieve better outcomes.
Impact
We create value that matters.
We measure design not simply by how it looks, but by what it changes, for people, businesses, communities and the environment.
Our philosophy
Think
Question. Research. Understand.
Design
Imagine. Create. Communicate.
Integrate
People. Technology. Architecture. Engineering. Business.
Build
Make. Test. Construct. Deliver.
Operate
Understand how spaces perform throughout their life cycle.
Measure
Evaluate impact. Learn. Improve.
Transform
Create better environments and a better future.
The school's physical location
Hamp Court, Suite 6
Upper Hill, Nairobi. Next to UAP Towers.
Open in Google MapsMeet the faculty
Managing Partner
Reuben Adwar
Managing Partner of the school. Over 15 years in interior design and space fit outs across Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan. He holds a degree in Housing and Interior Design and leads studio teaching beside live project work.
Project Management
Esther Kirunga
Managing Partner, Project Management and Quality Assurance. A qualified interior designer and construction project manager with over 15 years of experience. Esther folds client standards, resources, and risk into how the school teaches.