CityBlock is a company with over 15 years of experience in the student accommodation sector, with stylish, high quality developments in Lancaster, Reading & Durham. CityBlock properties are a mixture of self-contained studios and individual en-suite rooms close to the universities they serve. In preparation for the 2017/18 academic year, CityBlock expanded its portfolio with a new complex in Reading. In order to remain competitive in the student accommodation market CityBlock wanted to deliver innovative and quirky spaces to differentiate itself from competitors.

Architects, Whittam Cox, were tasked with designing a unique, modern, social living space for the residents of Berkshire House. To achieve this, it took a space that had previously been used as offices and created a valuable asset to both students, and the wider community. The final design comprised a fitness zone, media rooms, private dining rooms, study area, communal lounge, on-site laundry and lettings office. Glass partitioning was a key element of the project, creating a fluid, open space whilst still providing an element of division between the different areas.