SPACE Student Accomodation

View website

I was tasked to redesign the SPACE student accommodation website, a platform promoting high-quality student living in St Andrews. The project aimed to reposition the website as a true reflection of the brand; modern, premium, and design-led—while significantly improving usability and performance.

The existing site no longer met user expectations. Prospective students, often browsing multiple accommodation options at once, need quick access to clear information, transparent pricing, and an intuitive booking journey. However, the original experience made this difficult, creating friction at key decision-making points.

This redesign wasn’t just a visual refresh, it was a complete rethink of the user experience. The focus was on simplifying how users explore accommodation options, improving speed and accessibility, and creating a seamless journey from discovery through to enquiry or booking.

The end goal was to deliver a website that not only looks contemporary but also works harder as a conversion tool—supporting SPACE in attracting and securing student tenants in a highly competitive market.

Client

Scotsman Group | In-House | In-House

Industry

Student Accommodation / Property Rental

Year

2026

Tools

Wordpress, Elementor, ACF, CSS, JS

Challenge

The original website suffered from several key issues that were negatively impacting user experience and conversions:

Cluttered layout with too much competing information
Poor navigation structure, making it difficult for users to find room types and key details
Slow load speeds, particularly across image-heavy pages
Lack of clear hierarchy, making important information like pricing, amenities and booking steps harder to access

For a product positioned as “modern student living,” the digital experience didn’t match the quality of the offering.

Solution

The redesign focused on simplifying the user journey and elevating the overall aesthetic to align with the SPACE brand. I introduced a clean, structured layout with clear content hierarchy, allowing users to easily explore studios, apartments, and amenities. Navigation was streamlined to reduce friction, guiding users naturally toward key actions such as viewing rooms or booking. Performance was also a priority, optimising assets and reducing unnecessary elements to create a faster, more responsive experience across devices.

Features

Clear user journeys
Simplified navigation allows users to quickly browse room types, amenities, and FAQs without confusion.
Modern, minimal UI design
A clean visual style reflects the contemporary, design-led nature of the accommodation.
Improved content hierarchy
Key information such as pricing, features, and booking steps is now easy to scan and digest.
Enhanced performance
Faster load times improve usability and reduce drop-off.
Stronger conversion focus
Clear calls-to-action guide users toward booking, aligning with the “no hidden costs” and straightforward process highlighted on the site

Process

The project began with a full audit of the existing website to identify usability issues and content gaps. From there, I:

Mapped out improved user flows for key journeys (e.g. browsing rooms, booking)
Created wireframes focused on clarity and structure
Designed a modern UI system with consistent spacing, typography, and visual hierarchy
Iterated based on usability considerations, ensuring the site worked seamlessly across desktop and mobile

The focus throughout was on reducing cognitive load and making the experience intuitive.

Results

The redesigned website successfully transformed the user experience:

A clean, modern interface that aligns with the SPACE brand
Improved usability, making it easier for students to explore and choose accommodation
Faster performance, enhancing overall engagement
A more conversion-driven experience, supporting booking and enquiry actions

The result is a website that now reflects the quality of the accommodation itself—modern, functional, and designed around the needs of its users.

LAURA BURTON