Build to Rent: Residential Design with Wayfinding and Placemaking – An Interview with f.r.a.

Build to Rent (BTR) is a rapidly expanding sector, reshaping the way we think about residential living in the UK and beyond. At Design Insider, we’re dedicating 2025 to exploring the design and suppliers opportunities within this market. To begin this exploration, we spoke with Wesley Meyer, Creative Director of f.r.a., a studio renowned for its innovative approach to wayfinding and placemaking.

Wesley Meyer, Creative Director of f.r.a.

To start, could you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about f.r.a., including its background and key areas of expertise in design?

Wesley Meyer: f.r.a. is a design studio specialising in wayfinding and placemaking. Anywhere where brand and communication connect with the built environment, that’s where we work. We’re a mighty team of 10 (and growing) with studios in Shrewsbury and London.

Our first wayfinding project in the build to rent market – BTR – was the result of an old contact calling us in a panic because the signs in her new building were literally falling off the walls. She knew us for our strong focus on quality implementation of designs. We fixed it and the rest is history. 4 years later we’ve worked on over 80 residential projects for all the top developers: Legal & General, Greystar, Grainger, Long Harbour, Renaker, British Land, Cortland, Starlight, Goodstone & Related Argent.

Deansgate Square Reception, Manchester by Renaker. Wayfinding by f.r.a.

The Build to Rent market has seen significant growth in recent years, particularly in the UK. Could you provide an overview of this market, including its global history and how it has evolved into the blossoming sector we see today?

WM: I can remember back in 2019 when we first went to a BTR forum. We didn’t really know how the sector worked. Within an hour that anxiety had washed away when we realised no one actually knew how it worked, and everyone was transparent that BTR in the UK was being made up as it went along. It was and still is exciting.

Working with a wide range of developers, we’ve seen a number of different and successful business models. In recent years we’ve seen developers from outside the UK join the sector. Again, each has a slightly different approach, but all seem to be thriving.

I’d add that the growth of organisations such as the ARL (Association of Rental Living, formerly UKAA) have really contributed to a sense of community and the overall advancement of people working in all aspects of the sector.

The Goodsyard, Birmingham. By L&G, wayfinding by f.r.a.

What are the key considerations you focus on when designing wayfinding systems for Build to Rent developments and how do these differ to the requirements of residential, hospitality and workplace projects?

WM: Designing wayfinding is all about designing for the end user. A BTR development is ultimately someone’s home. Given most of us don’t have signs in our homes, BTR wayfinding is about making signs as minimal and effective as possible. We have a big focus on quality and durability. The wayfinding system needs to communicate with the same material craftsmanship as the interior design.

Wayfinding is also about bringing the project’s brand into the environment. We use design to translate the brand’s ethos into the form, materials, colours and typography in the signs. We see a big variation on this among the developers. Some place a strong emphasis on brand consistency from development to development. Other take a de-branded approach, focusing on each site being a unique community. I don’t think there is a right answer and we see success in both approaches.

Deansgate Square Post room, by Renaker. Wayfinding by f.r.a.

With community building being such a core component of Build to Rent, how does F.R.A. ensure that its designs contribute to creating a sense of belonging and inclusivity for residents?

WM: A big part of our design process is connecting the resident experience to the project’s brand and the site’s context and heritage. We’re tapping into the brand’s tone of voice to set the stage for communications. It’s great in that we can beyond just setting a mood with materials or lighting, we get to use actual words and images to help guide those community interactions. That could be something really energetic like bold neon letters in the amenity space or something subtle and sophisticated like hand applied brass leaf on the door to the gym.

The Fold, amenity space, Croydon. By L&G Wayfinding by f.r.a.

Sustainability is an important aspect of contemporary commercial design. How does F.R.A. integrate sustainable practices and materials into wayfinding and placemaking for Build to Rent developments?

WM: On a material level, wayfinding has very little impact on sustainability. You could take every sign in a development, and they would all fit in the bathroom of one apartment. So compared to things like flooring and furniture, wayfinding will barely move the needle. Where wayfinding really does have an impact on sustainability is through communication. By making design choices that outwardly express a project’s sustainability and wellness story, the wayfinding can engage audiences to share that narrative and effect more sustainable behaviours on site. That can be through encouraging walking, cycling, use of the stairs, tobacco mitigation, ecology and proper recycling. This also means we get to use a full palette of sustainable materials in design of signage. Terrazzo everything all the time!

Sign made from Richlite, designed by f.r.a.

Build to Rent developments often combine residential, retail, and communal spaces. How do you approach designing solutions that seamlessly connect amenity and living spaces while maintaining a cohesive identity?

WM: f.r.a.’s roots are in design for retail, and we’ve worked with many developers to help integrate the retail, commercial and community spaces with residential communities. To a resident, having a great bakery, restaurant, dentist or crèche should feel as integrated as the other built-in amenities on site.

Retail units are often a bit hidden on residential sites. We use wayfinding to help advertise their presence and guide people there. We work with developers to provide tenant signage guidelines for these units. This helps to keep a cohesive visual language across the site by providing guidance on what tenants can and can’t do with their shop fronts. Many of these occupiers are SMEs/Independents and these guidelines help to kick start their design process and get effective foot fall.

Retail Tenant Directory by f.r.a. for Deansgate Square, Manchester

What role do technological advancements, such as digital signage or app-based navigation, play in your designs for the Build to Rent sector? Do you see these technologies enhancing the resident experience?

WM: Wayfinding in BTR is all about an appropriate and (usually) minimal amount of signage in the environment. Digital signage always feels a bit heavy handed in practice and we’ve never once found a place for it in a BTR project. It’s simply too intrusive, not to mention costly.

We have helped with a few successful implementations of app-based solutions. A client wanted to minimise signage around instructions for things like coffee makers, BBQs, etc and moved all that to their app. We implemented lovely brass QR codes that lead residents to these instructions. We’re also working with a PBSA – Purpose Built Student Accommodation -developer to implement some exciting technology to help users with limited vision navigate their spaces.

Finally, looking ahead, how do you see the Build to Rent market evolving in the UK, and what opportunities or challenges do you think it will present for commercial design professionals like yourself?

This is a personal theory, but I feel like there is a great ‘convergence’ happening. The lines between BTR, Co-Living, PBSA and hotels all seem to be blurring. I think that’s driven by a desire to diversify assets and enabled by barriers to short/long term stays being removed through technology and logistics. Moreover, the lines between anything residential, office, retail or leisure also seem to be dissolving. It’s getting very difficult to visually tell the difference between a BTR amenity lounge and an office. I think that’s driven somewhat by our increasingly mixed up live/work/leisure lifestyles but also by the very strong design language that’s come out of BTR in the last few years. These developments are simply stunning. I (personally) think designers have created such a desirable palette of space, lighting, furniture, finish and function that it’s difficult not to just want it everywhere. The challenge for the future is understanding the difference in user experience in these spaces and keeping form and function aligned.