The beauty of providing accommodation for student living is that pretty much anything goes. Whether it’s a new hi-rise apartment block, the refurbishment of existing flats or the conversion of a more historic or non-residential building, if it’s close enough to the educational campus, and some decent night life, then the chances are there won’t be a struggle to find tenants.
Timing wise, there’s a critical window for refurbishment during the summer months to maximise the available letting period. As well as minimising disruption for anyone still living in the vicinity by keeping to a tight timetable, there’s also a weather benefit in that means less cold and damp to affect materials and construction methods.
Externally, buildings of a variety of shapes and sizes can work as student accommodation but those that can be transformed in a more formulaic way offer the best economies of scale. Adopting construction methods such as prefabrication for bathrooms or shower rooms or even as a full modular build can reduce costs as well as create a more efficient timescale and minimal waste.
Designing living space for students isn’t as basic as it perhaps once was. Lighting and electrics particularly need thought and planning to offer the facilities that are expected in modern accommodation. Rather than traditional light fixtures, there’s a whole host of smart, LED and non-standard lighting available to help deliver an atmospheric ambience more conducive to creative thinking and concentration. Electrics are of course essential but there will likely be an expectation of USB points for swift device charging as well as high-speed broadband with decent connectivity in every part of the building.
Perhaps a more modern feature, security is high on the list of expectations and so external CCTV as well as options for internal communal areas also needs to be factored in. Also near the top of the list, heating is expected as standard but in newly-converted or refurbished premises it’s expected that this will be smart and therefore controllable via an app on a tablet or phone.
Bringing all of this together will be a building management system (BMS) that can meet the somewhat complex needs of a range of tenants, maintaining a constant, comfortable building temperature and connecting seamlessly to, or incorporating, security and fire systems to give full building coverage.
In times of greater awareness of climate challenges and sustainability, it’s also important think about where green credentials can be provided. Whether it’s through materials used, the waste or recycling methods adopted during construction or the energy-saving qualities of the glazing, there are an abundance of ways to contribute positively to the environment as part of a refurbishment project.
Creating a home-from-home for students should be driven by more than just the commercials. There’s an opportunity to create a real statement, whether that’s in each individual room or apartment, in the communal areas or as part of the exterior. Lighting, décor, fixtures and fittings all have their part to play in creating an aspirational, playful yet homely environment for young minds who need living accommodation that works for them, not against them, as they forge ahead with their careers and their future.
With over 20 years’ experience of transforming commercial space, Sigma provide a true end-to-end service; from fixtures and consolidation, to construction, projects and M&E. www.sigmagrp.co.uk