Student Living
Back to Our SectorsFostering student communities that provide a home away from home
Purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) isn’t just about designing buildings, it’s about designing communities. Yes, residents come to study, but social and enrichment experiences are key to their success. Accommodation has a crucial role to play in this journey.
From the start of each project – whether we’re designing from scratch or enhancing an existing plan – our focus is on attracting students and parents while maximising a site’s potential. This doesn’t just mean designing high-quality buildings and spaces, it also means creating schemes that maintain their competitiveness year after year.
Meet the leading designers heading up our team
With Corstorphine & Wright, you get high-quality schemes with longevity – that attract discerning students today and maintain their appeal into the future.
Community & Student Experience
For many students, university is their first time living away from home. If they’re from overseas, they can travel thousands of miles – and know no one when they arrive. We’re well-versed in incorporating study and social areas, gyms, cafes and games rooms in a scheme whilst providing the flexibility to adapt spaces as needs change.
The real skill comes in designing spaces that foster community and create places that people want to live in and use – a true home away from home. Projects designed in this way are the ones that generate demand at launch and for years to come.
Place-driven Design
Students want to live in spaces with character – they want inspiring surroundings with thoughtful, practical features. Spaces also need to work and flow well to maximise a site’s potential and gel with the surrounding area.
You benefit from our deep placemaking expertise, which is rooted in our cross-sector experience across city living, urban design and mixed-use. This includes our collaborative approach, whether it’s working with Historic England and conservation groups on heritage matters, local authorities on height considerations or communities on social value. You therefore get schemes that respond to and enhance their context.
Efficiency & Delivery
We don’t just design PBSA schemes, we design schemes that get built. We understand the deadlines involved with delivering in line with academic schedules – the need to finish on site in preparation for the new term, so clients can give confidence to students who have reserved a place.
Through our streamlined stakeholder and supply chain coordination, our ability to get consent, our ability to maximise efficiencies and our use of innovative construction techniques, we help you deliver successful projects on time.
Request our Student Living Brochure
13,000+
Student beds successfully designed
5-10%
Efficiency boost routinely achieved for PBSA clients
40+
Years of PBSA experience
“Corstorphine & Wright have been an instrumental part of the development of the Fusion Students brand. We have always found them to be inventive and creative, and they have provided a consistently high architectural and interior design service on all of our projects with them.”
Student Living Project Client
“Plummer House made me feel so welcome and ‘part of the family’ straight away.”
Elizabeth, Newcastle University
“There is a huge social buzz all around Fusion Tower, with everyone being so friendly and hanging out in the social areas.”
University of West England
“Fantastic student accommodation experience…[Portobello House is] a brilliant choice for students in the university.”
University of Sheffield
Every project starts with a conversation.
Let’s discuss your opportunities, constraints and questions.
