SPACE Accommodation—A Fresh Take on Student Housing

After converting Madras College into student apartments and studios, SPACE Accommodation opened its doors in September 2024. Now, with a year under their belts, they are taking their accommodation to the next level; building new housing, adding a multi-sport and hyrox gym (discounted for residents), a restaurant and a marketplace. All of these additions will be opening by September 2026 or sooner.   

The restaurant and marketplace will serve affordable and healthy options for residents, students, and townspeople alike. The aim is to provide ‘catering without the commitment’, allowing students to drop in for meals whenever they like without needing a meal plan. Aside from providing the casual dinner, the restaurant will be able to host society dinners after auditorium events. The former Madras assembly room is a historic, listed building with fashion show potential (and a built-in VIP section upstairs) as well as space for academic and society conferences. Recently, Mercury Capital Management hosted their first conference of the year in the auditorium.   

The main accommodation building, St Andrews Hall, provides a hub for students, with a 24/7 reception team, a social co-working space, and a really cool (and affordable) laundry room.   

Courtesy of The Scotsman Group

Laundry can often seem like an afterthought in university accommodation, with a few machines thrown into a small mouldy room that is somehow meant to be enough for two hundred students. But that is not the case at SPACE, where the laundry room is open and airy and has tables and chairs ready for your late night study or gossip sesh.   

Next to the laundry room is a chic social co-working space, where residents can work on group projects with other students while having easy access to an in-house convenience store that sells all your favourite study snacks and beverages. Upstairs, they have private study and dining rooms that can be booked free of charge for residents. Based on student feedback, a further three private study areas are being added. Given how busy the library has been this semester, these rooms will fill a welcome gap in the St Andrews study space scene.   

Courtesy of The Scotsman Group

The reception and student experience teams work around the clock to make sure students are having the best possible university experience. With our large international student body, SPACE prides itself on making the transition to Scotland as smooth as possible, whether that’s helping students figure out the bus system or hosting mixers to meet fellow peers, as well as a day and night front of house team that helps residents should they need it or want to stop by for a quick chat.    

Moving on past the amenities and towards the rooms themselves, the emphasis on student wellbeing is evident in every detail. Each studio and two bed apartment feature chic kitchen and living spaces that make you feel like you’re living in an upscale hotel all year round. With views overlooking St Andrews, I was struck by the sheer amount of natural light that pours through the large windows in every room regardless of the season. For students moving away from a home closer to the Equator, Scottish winters are historically difficult, but proximity to natural light helps keep the winter blues away. I know that in my first year, I would have appreciated having the constant heating and large windows that SPACE has come wintertime. In the summer, AC is available, something desperately needed during the humid summer months.   

Courtesy of The Scotsman Group

Currently, they are constructing more housing which will feature balconies and pet friendly apartments. Finding pet-friendly housing is notoriously difficult here in St Andrews, and as of next year SPACE will offer the opportunity to live with your beloved pet. With rooms already being snapped up for the 26-27 school year, the team recommends registering your interest now. All rooms have been booked out for this school year, so keep an eye out for next year’s availability!   

Courtesy of The Scotsman Group

During my tour of SPACE accommodations, I appreciated the clear emphasis on student feedback, from the kinds of snacks in the convenience store to the number of study rooms to the large airy windows in each apartment, the SPACE team places student wellbeing and happiness at the forefront of their business model.   

Sponsored by The Scotsman Group