Project Sofia

Providing student accommodation in the heart of Exeter.

We successfully designed and constructed this city centre development, comprising 604 student bedrooms which are arranged as 66% bedrooms in cluster flats and 34% studios, in a total 21,768sqm area.

The site includes 1,951sqm of ground floor retail/events spaces, landscaping and public realm areas. 

Sir Robert McAlpine worked alongside AHR Architectural, Curtins and INTOHEAT to deliver this project.

Project summary

    • Client: Mace Developments
    • Sectors: Accommodation, Leisure, Retail
    • Value: £46m
    • Size: 21,768 sqm
    • Region: South West
    • Services: Construction, Construction Management, Pre-Construction
    • Completion Date: 2020

Interiors

A fresh modern space to socialise and relax

Stylish lounge with contemporary furnishings, offering a relaxing environment for residents.

A welcoming reception area

Bright and welcoming reception area for the student accommodation, offering a modern design.

Time for a snooze

Modern student bedroom interior, featuring a work desk, bed, and ample storage space.

  • Modern communal lounge space at Project Sofia, with comfortable seating and natural light.
  • Reception space at Project Sofia with stylish lighting and seating for visitors.
  • Modern student bedroom interior, featuring a work desk, bed, and ample storage space.
Side view of the building, displaying multiple window openings and clean, modern architectural lines.

Envelope

The external envelope is a mixture of brickwork, rockclad panels, vertical metal cladding and shop fronts to the retail areas. 

The buildings feature circa 900 openings for windows and automatic opening vents, plus approximately 1,350 openings for vents. Even with such a high number of penetrations, the project was able to better the required air permeability criteria of 5.0. 

A slate roof was installed to meet a planning requirement which features a waterproofing layer from the KS100 insulated roof sheets set into a valley gutter and large PPC barge boards. 

A mark of quality

The quality of the project is of a very high standard, with market leading finishes being realised upon completion.

Both the accommodation and retail areas achieved BREEAM Excellent ratings in line with contract requirements.

Modern mailroom setup in the student accommodation lobby, with neatly arranged mailboxes for easy access.

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Project Sofia
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University of Exeter
Exeter
Accommodation