Apartments and shared spaces – a housing concept with balance

Quality within limited space

A student residence should accommodate different situations: focused work, undisturbed sleep, cooking together and making new connections. The design should therefore clearly distinguish between the personal apartment and the amenities shared within the building.

In the apartment, everyday routines should guide the design. Where does studying happen? What items need storage? How can the kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area be used? Furniture, lighting and connections should be planned together with the floor plan. Cleaning, repairs and the future replacement of individual furnishing items should also be part of the assessment.

Shared spaces with a defined purpose

Each shared area should have a clearly articulated purpose. A quiet study room requires different conditions than an event kitchen. A lounge should be considered in terms of accessibility, acoustics and supervision. The number of amenities offered does not replace this examination.

A space concept should also clarify which amenities are freely accessible, when a reservation is required and who manages the rooms. This turns an architectural idea into an organisable offer.

Linking usage and viability

For the project decision, it is advisable to compare investment and ongoing costs per area. After opening, usage data and resident feedback can show where adjustments make sense. The goal of the planning should be a comprehensible overall offer: a functional apartment and complementary spaces whose benefit to the target group can be concretely described.