Creating a Stronger Identity at Student Castle York

From Mood Board to Finished Space

Elsewhere, warmer browns, rust tones and black-framed glazing create a slightly calmer environment for meeting, studying and spending time away from the busier social spaces.

Designing Spaces Students Actually Want to Use

Of course, student accommodation has to do more than look good in photographs.

The spaces need to work for the people living there.

Students may use the same communal areas to study during the day, meet friends in the afternoon and socialise in the evening, so flexibility is an important part of the design process.

At Student Castle York, the refurbishment incorporates a mix of social seating, collaborative tables, games areas, breakout spaces and quieter zones.

This gives students different ways to use the building depending on what they need at the time.

FF&E then adds another layer to the overall scheme.

Furniture, artwork, planting, accessories and styling details all help make a newly refurbished space feel finished and considered.

They may seem like relatively small elements individually, but together they can completely change the way a space is experienced.

Why Does This Matter for PBSA Operators?

Students have access to more information about accommodation than ever before.

TikTok, Instagram, virtual tours, student reviews and user-generated content allow prospective residents to compare properties almost instantly – often before they ever arrange a viewing.

That means the visual identity of a property can play an increasingly important role in the decision-making process.

A student may first encounter a building through a short video on their phone rather than through a traditional brochure or viewing.

Those first impressions matter.

A strong refurbishment can help an existing scheme feel more current, improve how its communal spaces are used and give the property a clearer identity within an increasingly competitive PBSA market.

The comments we discovered around Student Castle York are only a small snapshot of student opinion, but they demonstrate something important.

When students are independently discussing the design, comparing it with alternative accommodation and describing a property as their first choice, the environment is clearly contributing to the way that scheme is being perceived.

A Great Result for the Team

Seeing this kind of organic reaction has been particularly rewarding for the Inspired Projects team, who worked across the different stages of the Student Castle York refurbishment.

Projects like this bring together design, project management, construction, fit-out, FF&E and final styling – with each element contributing to the finished result.

Ultimately, however, the spaces are being created for the students who live there.

Seeing students respond positively to the completed accommodation is therefore one of the most valuable measures of whether a refurbishment has achieved what it set out to do.

Because successful student accommodation isn’t simply about creating somewhere that photographs well.

It is about creating somewhere students can imagine themselves living.

Planning Your Next Student Accommodation Refurbishment?

Every refurbishment project is different, and not every client requires the same level of support.

Inspired Projects can work with you on one individual element of a project or manage the entire refurbishment from concept through to completion.

Our services include:

• Interior design
• Detailed design
• Fit-out and refurbishment
• FF&E specification, procurement and installation
• Project management
• Final styling and dressing
• Full turnkey refurbishment delivery

Whether you already have a design and need an experienced team to deliver it, require support sourcing and installing FF&E, need project management support, or want one team to handle the full works, we can tailor our involvement around your project.

If you’re planning an upcoming PBSA refurbishment, speak to the Inspired Projects team about how we can support your next scheme.

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