A 1970s office building reimagined as a contemporary student community in the heart of Reading.
Client CityBlock and Torsion Group
Project Role Executive Architecture, Interior Design
Scale 145 studios
Status Complete
On Kings Road in Reading, Berkshire House stood as a vacant 1970s office block with an underused underground car park, a building disconnected from the energy of the town and the needs of its growing student population. Cityblock identified the opportunity to reposition the asset as a premium student living development, creating a sustainable and market leading offer in a competitive rental market. Our brief was clear: transform the existing structure into high quality accommodation while maximising value and long term performance.
Former basement car park transformed into student amenity
Berkshire House captured at night
We approached the project as a careful reinvention rather than a replacement. Working within the constraints of the original frame, we reconfigured the building to deliver 145 student homes, including a new top floor extension to optimise capacity. A full façade replacement gave the building a confident, contemporary identity, reconnecting it to the street and signalling its new purpose.
At lower ground level, we transformed previously underused space into generous shared amenities, including study areas, social spaces, a gym and laundry, creating places for connection as well as convenience. Throughout, we focused on durability, energy performance and buildability to ensure a sustainable, future proof asset.
Berkshire House now offers students more than accommodation. It provides a vibrant, well connected environment designed to support learning, wellbeing and community, breathing new life into an existing building and strengthening Reading’s urban fabric in the process.
