Founded in 2016 by Payal Karumbiah, The Baby Atelier (TBA) has been redefining children’s spaces for nearly a decade. Holding a Master’s from Parsons School of Design and a Master of Science in Quantitative Finance, and with a professional background spanning Wall Street investment banking and the global luxury industry, Karumbiah brings a unique perspective to design. Her transition from finance to interiors was fuelled by the belief that children deserve environments that are not only functional but also psychologically supportive, and this vision continues to guide TBA’s work today. The Gujarat Learning Center is a living case study of this ethos in action.

The Baby Atelier, a purpose-led design studio specialising in child-centric interiors, has unveiled a pioneering 3,500-sq-ft Children’s Learning Center within a Gujarat hospital. This milestone project demonstrates how TBA’s psychology-driven approach to design translates seamlessly from homes into healthcare environments, shaping spaces that nurture healing, learning, and emotional wellbeing.

Where Calm Meets Creativity

Designed for young patients in long-term care, the center balances the sterility required of medical environments with the warmth and reassurance of human-centred design. Every element has been considered to support emotional regulation, agency, and comfort: muted palettes, diffused lighting, acoustic control, and tactile finishes work together to calm the senses while enabling exploration.

The result is a space that provides continuity for children whose daily lives are disrupted by illness. Beyond treatment, they are given an environment where learning, play, and social interaction continue to be part of everyday life — ensuring both normalcy and growth.

Inside the Learning Center

• Reading Nook: A quiet, sunlit retreat designed for privacy, focus, and the joy of books.
• Art Studio: Child-height supplies, pegboard walls, and dedicated display zones encourage creativity and self-expression.
• Role Play Zone: Miniature supermarkets, kitchens, and play stands that build confidence through safe, imaginative exploration.
• Study Zone: Collaborative tables, integrated technology, and world maps to support both group learning and structured lessons.
• Inclusive Play Area: Soft seating and activity blocks for gentle physical activity and inclusive interaction.
• Circle Time Space: A welcoming, barrier-free setting for shared stories, music, and group connection.

Design Psychology in Action

This project illustrates The Baby Atelier’s founding principle: children deserve environments that do more than function — they must feel intuitively supportive. By embedding principles of child psychology into every corner, the learning center demonstrates how intentional design can restore agency, confidence, and joy, even within a hospital setting.

From private nurseries to schools, public play areas, and now hospitals, The Baby Atelier continues to expand the definition of child-centred design. The Gujarat Learning Center stands as proof that design can heal, empower, and prepare children for who they are becoming.

By Charalampos Sarafopoulos, Executive Director, πRism Interiors.

Commercial spaces such as offices, co-working hubs, retail outlets, restaurants and hotels are not just functional – they set the scene for daily human interactions. As an interior designer, I take this into account when working on a project, defining success by aesthetics and efficiency, but also on whether the space makes every individual feel included and valued. This is what we mean by ‘inclusive design thinking’, and it is a powerful and transformative approach.

Beyond Aesthetics

For decades, commercial interiors were designed with a narrow user in mind; the ‘standard’ employee. But in today’s world, there is no such thing as standard. Workplaces are multigenerational environments that welcome people with different abilities, cultural backgrounds, and expectations.

Inclusive design thinking pushes us, as designers, to move beyond surface-level beauty and function. It challenges us to ask: Does this space empower people of all abilities, ages, and identities to feel comfortable, safe, and valued?

Why Inclusivity Matters

Commercial interiors must serve a wide spectrum of people at once, each with unique needs and expectations. In workplaces, this might mean creating spaces where younger employees can thrive in collaborative zones while older staff benefit from ergonomic, quiet areas.

Cultural inclusivity is equally important. Thoughtful features like prayer rooms, gender-neutral restrooms, or clear multilingual signage show respect and sensitivity, making diverse users feel valued.

At its core, inclusivity in commercial interiors is about more than accessibility. It is about dignity, equity, and belonging. When spaces are designed to accommodate a range of people and tasks, they become not just functional environments, but human-centered ones that foster comfort, loyalty, and connection.

Inclusive Design in Practice

When we began the process of designing our new offices, we wanted to take a truly inclusive approach, and so we asked each team to nominate a member to work with us on the “office re-design team”. Seven team members were tasked with speaking with the rest of their teams to gather and compile their feedback. Through this process, we were able to get all kinds of information that we might otherwise have missed: storage space requirements; whether phones and PABX systems were helpful or not; where people eat; chair comfort… The list goes on; my point is that in bringing all this information to bear on our design brief, we were able to create a space that responded to the team’s needs as much as possible. Inclusive design thinking enriched the design process for us, allowing us to:

• Empathize: Spend time understanding the diverse needs of the people who will use the space. For an office, this may include younger staff who prefer collaborative zones, older employees who need ergonomic seating, and neurodiverse individuals who benefit from quiet pods.
  
  
• Define: Frame challenges in terms of barriers. For example: How might we design a reception area that feels welcoming for both guests/visitors and team members?
  
  
• Ideate: Bring multidisciplinary perspectives, for example consult architects, furniture designers, facility managers, HR teams, and even end-users for ideas.

• Prototype: Create mock-ups of installations such as workstations, retail displays, or check-in counters that can be tested with different user groups.
  
  
• Test: Measure success by evaluating aesthetics, operational efficiency and inclusivity.
  
  

Benefits and Challenges

Office interiors profoundly shape how employees feel and perform. From my experience, inclusive workplaces foster loyalty and morale. Employees who feel supported by their environment, whether through ergonomic furniture, flexible work zones or accessible meeting rooms, are more engaged, productive, and motivated to remain at a company.

However, designing inclusively is not without challenges. Budgets can be tight, timelines demanding, and clients sometimes prioritize aesthetics or branding over inclusivity. But as designers, we hold the responsibility to advocate. We are not just decorators; we are shapers of human experience.

In the many projects that I’ve worked on, I’ve learned that inclusivity often leads to creative breakthroughs. The no-man’s land at the top of the stairs was a real challenge for us during the design process. It had served as a barren waiting area for guests, and an informal divider between two divisions within Al Shirawi. It was a suggestion from a team member that led us to turn that dead space into a coffee bar and breakout area for everyone, including guests. These days, some of the team’s best ideas and concepts come to life in the coffee bar. A design decision made for inclusivity can spark a change in culture. What may seem like an additional cost often pays off in long-term usability and satisfaction.

Looking Ahead

The future of commercial interiors is fluid and dynamic. Hybrid work, smart buildings, and globalized commerce demand spaces that are not only functional and stylish but also adaptable to diverse users. Technologies like voice-activated systems, adjustable lighting apps, and AI-driven spatial analytics can further enhance inclusivity. Yet technology cannot replace empathy.

As designers, our role is to weave inclusivity into every layer of the interior, from circulation planning to furniture details, so that commercial spaces become not just places to transact or work, but places where everyone belongs.

Inclusive design thinking in commercial interiors allows us to create environments that are accessible, flexible, culturally sensitive, and emotionally resonant. By embracing inclusivity, we elevate commercial interiors from functional workplaces or retail destinations to human-centered spaces that empower all who enter.

The UAE has steadily positioned itself as a global leader in advancing gender equality, ensuring Emirati women are drivers of progress as entrepreneurs, scientists, designers and businesswomen. With women making up over 54% of the labour force, holding two-thirds of public sector jobs, and representing the majority of university graduates, the country’s policies and initiatives are building a future where female leadership is both expected and celebrated.

A national framework for empowerment

The UAE is embedding female leadership at the highest levels of governance and ensuring that women influence the country’s strategic direction. The National Policy for Empowerment of Emirati Women 2023–2031 and the work of the Gender Balance Council have set clear priorities to increase women’s representation in leadership and ensure equal opportunities in technical and academic fields. Today, women occupy 30% of leadership roles in the public sector, and initiatives such as mandatory board representation in listed companies have cemented women’s presence in decision-making spaces.

This national support translates into real impact across industries. Noor Al Muhaideb, Founding Partner of Opaal Interiors, explains how it shaped her career: “The UAE’s encouragement of creativity and entrepreneurship has been a real turning point for me. Thanks to programs like design incubators and creative economy initiatives, I had the confidence and support to launch Opaal interiors and develop projects that bring contemporary design into dialogue with the UAE’s culture.’’

This national support translates into real impact across industries. In government, women now make up over a quarter of the cabinet, with nine female ministers overseeing key portfolios from advanced technology to international cooperation. Initiatives have also focused on creating leadership training programs and mentorship platforms within government, ensuring women are prepared to take on senior roles.

Entrepreneurial ecosystems

Emirati women today own and operate 23,000 businesses valued at more than AED 50 billion, proof of the UAE’s efforts to provide access to funding, training, and global networks. The nation ranked second in 2024 on Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Arab Businesswomen list, with 14 Emirati women featured.

For Amna Al Falasi, Manager of WrkBay and Huom Culinary Canvas, this environment enabled her to grow a small community initiative into a thriving platform. “The UAE’s commitment to gender equality has been pivotal in my journey. Access to mentorship and funding opportunities gave us the foundation to expand and create meaningful programs for families, professionals, and seniors,” she says. Amna’s trajectory mirrors the wider push to create female-led enterprises that add both economic and social value.

Driving innovation in technology

The UAE’s investments in AI, advanced technology, and education are creating space for women to thrive in future industries. With 56% of STEM graduates now women, the pipeline for female leadership in innovation is stronger than ever. Institutions like the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and national strategies dedicated to AI and digital transformation provide world-class platforms for Emirati talent.

Moza Al Falasi, a data analyst working on machine learning applications, emphasises the opportunity: “The UAE’s focus on innovation gave me the platform to pursue projects like EcoSort AI and accessibility solutions for the hearing-impaired. Women here are not just part of the conversation in technology, they’re leading it.” Her work reflects the country’s aim to merge technological progress with social impact.

Looking ahead

The UAE’s progress is evident in the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Gender Gap Report, which ranks the country as a leading nation in gender equality in the region. Sustained public and private sector initiatives have strengthened women’s presence in business, government, and STEM fields. Emirati women are now shaping industries from design studios to boardrooms and AI labs, supported by legislation that secures equal pay and mandates for female voices in leadership. In 2025, they are setting new benchmarks for leadership, showing how the UAE’s long-term vision turns empowerment into measurable progress.