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Student Housing Design Trends: How Communities Like The 87 Combine Technology, Comfort, and Social C

Author : Ronaldo Lord | Published On : 12 Aug 2026

 

Student housing has changed significantly over the past decade. What was once primarily about providing students with a convenient place to sleep between classes has evolved into a more comprehensive residential experience. Today's students increasingly expect their housing to support studying, wellness, entertainment, social interaction, productivity, and convenience. For students exploring apartments near university of Notre Dame, these factors can be especially important when comparing communities and looking for a living environment that complements the college experience.

This evolution is influencing how student apartment communities are designed. Instead of focusing exclusively on individual bedrooms and basic shared facilities, developers are creating environments that combine private living spaces with technology-enabled services, flexible common areas, recreational amenities, and community-focused architecture.

Communities like The 87 near the University of Notre Dame demonstrate this approach. The community brings together modern apartment layouts, technology, fitness and recreation spaces, study areas, social lounges, and creative amenities. This type of development reflects several important Student Housing Design Trends: How Communities Like The 87 Combine Technology, Comfort, and Social Connection, particularly the growing emphasis on designing communities around the complete student experience.

The Shift Toward Smart Student Housing

Technology is becoming an increasingly important part of modern apartment design. Students already rely heavily on smartphones, digital platforms, and connected devices in their academic and personal lives, so it makes sense that they expect similar convenience from their homes.

Smart student housing can incorporate technology into everything from apartment access to resident communication and maintenance requests.

Some common technology features include:

  • Smart locks and keyless building access
  • Mobile-based resident portals
  • High-speed community Wi-Fi
  • Package management systems
  • Smart thermostats
  • Digital maintenance requests
  • Connected lighting and appliances
  • Online amenity reservations
  • Mobile communication with property management

These features can simplify everyday tasks. Instead of carrying physical keys, residents may be able to use a mobile device to access their apartment or shared spaces. Instead of visiting a leasing office to report an issue, they can submit a maintenance request digitally.

This represents an important part of the digital resident experience. Technology is not necessarily valuable simply because it is new. Its real value comes from reducing friction and making routine interactions easier.

Modern Apartment Design Prioritizes Comfort

Technology is only one part of the equation. Student housing also needs to provide comfortable and functional spaces where residents can relax and recharge.

Modern apartment design increasingly focuses on creating private spaces that feel like actual homes rather than temporary student accommodations. Thoughtful layouts, natural light, durable finishes, comfortable furniture, and practical storage can all influence how residents experience their apartments.

Bedrooms remain important, but the design of the entire community matters as well.

Students may spend part of their day attending classes, another part studying, and their evenings socializing or exercising. A well-designed residential environment should accommodate these different activities without forcing every activity into a bedroom.

That is why contemporary student housing often includes a mixture of private and shared spaces.

Flexible Spaces Support Different Student Lifestyles

One of the strongest design trends in modern student housing is flexibility.

A space that serves only one purpose may have limited usefulness. Flexible spaces, on the other hand, can adapt to different activities throughout the day.

For example, a large lounge might function as:

  • A quiet study area during the afternoon
  • A collaborative workspace for group projects
  • A social gathering space in the evening
  • An event venue during community programming

This flexibility allows housing providers to get greater value from their available space while giving residents more choices.

The same principle can apply to outdoor areas. A courtyard could provide a place for individual relaxation, informal conversations, outdoor games, community events, or group gatherings.

Designing spaces for multiple uses also makes a community feel more dynamic. Instead of creating separate rooms for every possible activity, developers can create adaptable environments that respond to changing resident needs.

Community-Centered Architecture Encourages Interaction

Student housing can influence social interaction through architecture.

A building's layout can either encourage residents to remain isolated or create natural opportunities for people to encounter one another.

Community-centered architecture often places shared amenities in locations where residents naturally pass through them. Common areas can be positioned near building entrances, elevators, or other high-traffic locations, making them easier to discover and use.

This creates opportunities for spontaneous interaction.

A student might stop in a lounge after class, meet a neighbor in the fitness center, or start a conversation while using a shared study area. These seemingly small interactions can contribute to a stronger sense of community.

The goal isn't necessarily to force residents to socialize. Instead, good design creates opportunities for social connection while allowing students to decide how and when they participate.

Social Spaces Are Becoming More Sophisticated

Traditional apartment lounges are being replaced or supplemented by more specialized social environments.

Modern student communities may include game rooms, coffee lounges, outdoor gathering spaces, sports simulators, media rooms, creative studios, and multipurpose entertainment areas.

These spaces can appeal to different interests and personality types.

A student who doesn't enjoy large social events might feel more comfortable working in a small study lounge. Another student might prefer playing games with friends in a recreation area. Someone interested in digital content might use a creative studio.

Providing multiple types of shared spaces creates more opportunities for students to connect around common interests.

This is especially valuable in student housing because residents often come from different backgrounds and may not know one another when they move in.

The Digital Resident Experience

Technology also changes how residents communicate with their housing providers.

In traditional apartment communities, residents might have relied heavily on phone calls, emails, or visits to the leasing office. Digital resident platforms can consolidate many of these interactions into a single system.

A modern resident portal may allow students to:

  • Submit maintenance requests
  • Receive community announcements
  • Pay rent
  • Reserve shared amenities
  • Communicate with management
  • Access building information
  • Receive package notifications
  • Participate in community events

This creates a more convenient experience for residents and can help property teams organize communications more efficiently.

For students, convenience is particularly important because academic schedules can change from day to day. Digital services allow them to handle housing-related tasks without necessarily visiting an office during business hours.

PropTech Is Changing Property Management

The broader property technology, or PropTech, industry is also influencing student housing.

PropTech encompasses digital tools designed to improve the way properties are marketed, leased, managed, maintained, and experienced by residents.

In student housing, this can include everything from online leasing platforms to smart building systems.

Property managers can use technology to collect information about maintenance requests, amenity usage, resident communication, and other operational activities. This information can help teams identify recurring problems and improve services.

For example, if a particular amenity consistently receives a high number of reservation requests, management may learn that residents value that space. Similarly, recurring maintenance reports involving a particular building system could indicate a need for preventative maintenance.

The most useful technology therefore works behind the scenes as well as in front of residents.

Energy-Efficient Student Housing Design

Sustainability is another important trend influencing modern housing design.

As concerns about energy consumption and environmental impact continue to grow, developers are incorporating energy-efficient features into new residential communities.

These may include:

  • Energy-efficient lighting
  • High-performance windows
  • Efficient heating and cooling systems
  • Water-saving fixtures
  • Improved insulation
  • Energy-efficient appliances
  • Smart thermostats
  • Sustainable building materials
  • Landscaping designed to reduce water consumption

Smart technology can also support sustainability by helping residents and property managers monitor and control energy use.

For example, smart thermostats can help regulate temperatures more efficiently, while energy-efficient lighting can reduce electricity consumption in both private and shared spaces.

Sustainable housing design can also improve resident comfort. Better insulation and efficient climate-control systems can help create more consistent indoor temperatures while reducing unnecessary energy use.

Designing for Wellness and Productivity

Student housing design is increasingly recognizing that students need environments that support both productivity and personal well-being.

A community might provide dedicated study rooms for focused academic work, fitness facilities for exercise, outdoor spaces for relaxation, and comfortable lounges for socializing.

This creates a more balanced environment.

Instead of expecting students to accomplish everything inside their bedrooms, modern communities can provide specialized spaces for different activities.

A student could spend an hour studying in a quiet workspace, take a break in an outdoor area, exercise in the fitness center, and then meet friends in a community lounge.

This variety can make the residential environment feel more supportive of everyday college life.

The Role of Outdoor Spaces

Outdoor design is another area receiving greater attention.

Courtyards, rooftop terraces, landscaped areas, outdoor seating, fire pits, grilling stations, and recreational spaces can provide residents with opportunities to spend time outside without leaving the property.

Outdoor spaces can also serve as important social environments.

Community events can be held outdoors, while smaller areas can provide quiet places for reading or relaxing.

The key is creating outdoor spaces that are usable rather than purely decorative. Comfortable seating, shade, lighting, recreational features, and convenient access can make these areas more appealing throughout the day.

The 87 as an Example of Integrated Student Housing Design

The 87 offers an example of how multiple design concepts can come together within a student housing community near Notre Dame.

Its community amenities include spaces designed for fitness, studying, recreation, social interaction, and content creation. The community includes features such as a fitness center, private study spaces, social lounges, a content creation room, outdoor gathering areas, and a golf and sports simulator lounge.

This combination illustrates an important trend: student housing is increasingly being designed as a complete lifestyle environment.

Instead of treating amenities as isolated additions, communities can connect them into a broader experience.

A resident may have a private apartment for personal space while also having access to shared environments that support academics, fitness, entertainment, and social connection.

That balance between private comfort and community engagement is becoming one of the defining characteristics of modern student housing.

Why Design Matters for Resident Satisfaction

Ultimately, successful student housing design should be measured by how well it serves residents.

A building can have impressive technology and a long list of amenities, but those features only create value when students actually use them and find them helpful.

Housing providers can evaluate the success of their designs through:

  • Resident satisfaction surveys
  • Amenity usage data
  • Maintenance trends
  • Renewal rates
  • Community event participation
  • Resident feedback
  • Digital platform engagement
  • Online reviews

These insights can help property managers understand what residents value most.

If a study lounge is constantly occupied, for example, that may indicate strong demand for academic spaces. If an amenity receives little usage, management can investigate whether its location, design, hours, or programming need to change.

The most successful communities are likely to treat design as an ongoing process rather than a one-time development decision.

The Future of Student Housing Design

The future of student housing will likely involve an even stronger combination of technology, flexibility, sustainability, comfort, and community.

Students are becoming more accustomed to digital services in every part of their lives, and housing providers will need to make sure their residential experiences keep pace.

At the same time, technology should not replace human interaction. Some of the most valuable aspects of student housing remain physical spaces where residents can meet, study, exercise, relax, and build friendships.

That is why the strongest Student Housing Design Trends: How Communities Like The 87 Combine Technology, Comfort, and Social Connection are not about technology alone. They are about using technology and thoughtful architecture to create better environments for students.

Modern student housing is becoming more than a collection of apartments. It is becoming an ecosystem designed around the realities of college life.