As a multi-campus university, KU Leuven has been committed to the implementation of synchronous hybrid education (SHE) for several years. Two hybrid configurations are adopted across the university. The frontal teaching configuration, used in auditoria, focuses on instruction from the front, while the interactive teaching configuration, applied in smaller classrooms, facilitates interaction with, and between, students in whole class situations. A third potential configuration, that facilitates collaborative learning in a hybrid context was not yet realized due to long-standing technical and didactic concerns. However, in 2024, in the context of a collaborative research project with industry partners we got funded to design and develop a high-end classroom to investigate the potential of collaborative learning in a hybrid context. The room equipped with cutting-edge audiovisual materials aims to facilitate smooth interaction between instructors, onsite students, and remote students during whole class and small group activities. Additionally, the connected researcher cockpit makes the space the ideal setting for conducting research beyond the state-of-the-art. This book chapter describes the concept of ‘the hybrid collaborative classroom’, its technical components, the stakeholders involved in the design and development process, and its strengths and weaknesses.