According to the Student Accommodation Council, the demand for student accommodation has surged. Private PBSA beds have risen 74 per cent since 2015 alongside a 75 per cent increase in international students. Yet in many developments, emotion and individuality are lost to repetition. As Henny Director Eric Loi observed, many PBSA developments “don’t have the emotional attachment like an apartment building.”

Our vision for Leicester Place challenges that. We wanted to design a student residence that doesn’t feel transactional, but personal; a place that builds connection, warmth and community within the density of the city.

Our design response focused on bringing warmth and character back to student living. A brick podium grounds the building within Carlton’s historic fabric, giving it a boutique quality that feels familiar at street level.

Expansive glazing, vertical greening and outdoor seating activate the frontage, encouraging interaction between students and the broader community. Twin towers rise in a palette of concrete and terracotta, with articulated balconies and shading devices that introduce rhythm, light and comfort to each residence.

Inside, the vision continues. Textured materials, soft light and colour create calm, expressive spaces that feel lived in from day one. Shared zones encourage connection, while flexible layouts support both focus and downtime. Every detail contributes to comfort and a quiet sense of place