What will student accommodation look like in the future?

Student accommodation is slowly shaking off its reputation for being grotty and cramped. Gone are the days of tiny, drab rooms, freezing communal bathrooms and kitchens stocked with outdated appliances.

Student halls are becoming more luxurious, with some even boasting their own swimming pools, cinemas and gyms. These are a far cry from the dingy, crumbling establishments that were once a normal feature of student life. 

But if this is what student halls look like now, what could they look like in the future? Accommodation company Mystudenthalls.com partnered up with designer Alexander Purcell Rodrigues to imagine the student accommodation of the future. Here are some of their predictions. 

1. Charge your device anywhere

Induction charging – otherwise known as wireless charging, in which charging coils are embedded, for example, into desks and tables – will become more ubiquitous. Given that nearly all students rely heavily on their phones, student accommodation could start to employ this technology. This means that students will be able to charge their electronic devices simply by placing them on a surface.

2. Smart buildings will solve problems before they exist

Buildings will soon be able to alert maintenance teams of any problems as and when they happen. For example, maintenance teams will receive an alert before a boiler part needs to be replaced or if the fridge needs to be serviced, resulting in fewer faults and breakdowns disrupting the lives of students. 

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3. Interact with the building through your phone

Students may soon be able to receive alerts on their phones to book study rooms, check their schedule for that day, or let them know their washing in the laundry is finished. The alerts could even remind them to turn off the light as they leave a room. 

4. Eco-friendly halls

Accommodation halls of the future may be able to control their own energy consumption, temperature and air quality based on room occupancy at any time of the day. Solar roof panels may also become commonplace. 

5. Hotel-style recreation

Newer accommodation halls are already putting a lot more thought into the communal and relaxation areas for students. New buildings will offer more sophisticated cafes, informal break-out areas, social hubs, study rooms, screening rooms and games areas. 

Read more: Top 50 student accommodation halls in the UK 

Picture credit: Collegiate