In today’s world, where the quality of our surroundings directly impacts our mental health and happiness, The Social Hub is committed to creating environments that support well-being, foster community, and enhance the living experience under our unique hybrid hospitality model, one that blends student accommodations with hotel, co-working, meeting & event, F&D spaces, and more. Insights from the Student Living Monitor 2024 (SLM) highlight how the design and features of living spaces can influence mental health, social interaction, and academic success, particularly for students and young professionals.  

Inspired by our purpose of “Together, we create a better society,” at The Social Hub, we believe that well-designed environments are fundamental to fostering a physical and psychological well-being; enabling personal happiness, community engagement, and academic success; particularly essential for students, who are navigating crucial stages of their lives.  

Aesthetic and Functionality for a Better Life  

We also understand that well-designed spaces not only provide comfort but also contribute to residents' overall experience and elevate their sense of well-being. Our design blends form and function, creating environments that inspire and make one feel at home. This is crucial, as the SLM reveals that students living in purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) report higher levels of well-being scores compared to those living in non-purpose-built accommodation.  

Through design elements such as abundant natural light, cozy communal spaces, and thoughtfully crafted study areas, The Social Hub aims to create environments that uplift both mental well-being and social engagement.  

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Community Spaces: The Heartbeat of Well-Being  

Communal areas are vital to The Social Hub experience, acting as the cornerstone for social interaction and community building, so much so that when developing a new project, we literally draw the heart of the building, where our community come together and connect with one another. We design our spaces to spark social interaction, we look at how the design of our furniture can bring people together, how art pieces can spark conversation, how moments of positive friction in our customer journey can foster interaction or how we can design for group and shared experiences. The SLM shows that students who engage in communal events and activities experience are happier, with an MHI-5 score of 62.0 compared to 55.8 for those who do not participate in such events.  

Our vibrant community spaces, including lounges, play spaces, and community kitchens, are designed to encourage interaction. We also know that vibrancy doesn’t always mean loud and crowd so we create more intentionally intimate spaces for conversation. Research from the SLM highlights that communal spaces and shared outdoor areas—features we prioritise—are the highest contributors to student happiness. We believe that these thoughtfully designed and correctly-activated spaces make a tangible difference in well-being by reducing feelings of isolation and sparking social connections.  

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The Balance of Privacy and Social Interaction  

While fostering a sense of community is critical, personal privacy is equally essential for maintaining mental well-being.  Student testimonials from the SLM show that many value choice, i.e., the ability to decide when to socialise and when to enjoy solitude. At The Social Hub, we refer to our rooms as spaces where our community can go from the “we space” to “me” space. Our guests can engage with the community when they choose, while still having their own personal space to retreat to when they need privacy. This allows them to balance social engagement with need to recharge, creating a healthy and balanced living experience.  

Events and Activities: Building Meaningful Connections  

Loneliness remains one of the biggest challenges for students, with 40% reporting that it negatively affects their well-being. At The Social Hub, we tackle this head-on by providing a rich programme of purpose-driven community experience events—ranging from social mixers and cultural activities to professional development workshops—that actively promote community engagement. We organise more than 5,500 of these a year, engaging with 100,000+ participants! We also know that food and drink is the great connector of people, that’s why we have vibrant bars, restaurants, cafes and rooftops to host social occasions.

Students who frequently participate in community events at The Social Hub report higher satisfaction and mental well-being. According to the SLM, participants in community activities score their well-being higher, with an average Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 7.5 compared to 6.3 for those who don’t participate. By offering diverse, inclusive events, we ensure that every community member has the opportunity to connect, learn, and grow.  

Conclusion: Creating Spaces for Better Living, Learning, and Thriving  

The Social Hub understands that well-being is deeply connected to the spaces we inhabit. Our design and community-centred approach, supported by insights from the Student Living Monitor, guide us in creating spaces where students and young professionals can thrive. By prioritsing well-designed spaces, communal engagement, and privacy, we offer a holistic approach to improving student experience.  

“By designing our spaces with community at the heart, students who stay with us benefit from a unique purpose-driven hybrid hospitality model: one that blends together diverse communities ranging from travellers, business people, locals, and more.”

• Michael Duffy, Director of Experience, The Social Hub

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