68 57 Rutland St- 472 Bed Student Accommodation
57 RUTLAND ST- 472 BED STUDENT ACCOMMODATION
The conversion of the Grade-II listed former Freeman Hardy & Willis headquarters on Rutland Street into a 472-bed student accommodation marks a transformative chapter in Leicester’ s city centre regeneration.
Rising across eight storeys with a striking corner tower extending to twelve, the Rutland Street project is reshaping Leicester’ s skyline and student living scene. Within the robust, post-war concrete frame- once home to the shoe manufacturer Freeman Hardy & Willis and later the International Hotel until 2009- the accommodation has been thoughtfully converted into 472 modern student bedrooms, alongside vibrant communal lounges, co working spaces, a coffee shop, and enhanced external amenities.
Torsion Group, the Main Contractor of this conversion, has deftly balanced historic preservation with contemporary needs. Their brief being to retain the building’ s striking concrete structure while injecting new life through carefully designed interiors and a refreshed external envelope.
Phoenix Drywall were brought in to complete the internal fit-out, delivering high-quality drywall, ceiling systems, and a bespoke load-bearing steel frame to create an additional seventh floor. At £ 4.3 million, the drywall contract represents Phoenix’ s largest to date-emblematic of the scale and complexity of the Rutland Street refurbishment.
The completed student accommodation sits at the heart of Leicester’ s Cultural Quarter, a location chosen for its perfect balance of connectivity and city life. Just a short walk from the train station and the famous Clock Tower, the site offers travel convenience alongside cultural vibrancy. Students stepping into the building are greeted with modern design amenities, including café-style social spaces and co-working lounges that reflect evolving student expectations for study-life integration.
Underpinning the project’ s success is the commitment to adaptive reuse— a principle that guides sustainability, heritage, and community outcomes. By regenerating
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