Stopgap Living
A hospitality service concept: relocation, reimagined
group project, service design
my role: research | ideation | user journey | visual design | branding
THE ASK
Design a product to help people relocate to a new country.
THE
OPPORTUNITY
The current market is packed with temporary living options such as hotels and hostels. While these provide a comfortable place to sleep and a great way connect with new people in a casual setting, the hospitality industry has yet to develop a short-term living service that provides both an upscale, comfortable living space, as well as a community where one can learn and engage with their new environment.
THE
SOLUTION
A hospitality service designed to acclimate millennial expats into their new environment and cultivate a feeling of belonging. By providing a range of valuable resources, we spark life-long relationships between guests and help transform a foreign country into a home.
“People have never been more curious and proactive about wanting to experience life abroad. They are hungry for new opportunities and a new perspective.”
-MoveHub’s Global Travel Trends Report 2017
Who are we targeting?
More than one-in-three American labor force participants (35%) are Millennials, making them the largest generation in the U.S. labor force. The past year has seen a 60% increase in the millennial generation relocating abroad. 9 in every 10 graduates would consider moving abroad for work.
Pain points
With user research, we discovered that the primary pain points during relocation occur upon arriving at a new destination/new country of residence. These areas of tension include: scheduling apartment tours and finding a place to live, signing up for events and trying to meet and connect with new people in a foreign city.
introducing
Our mission is to foster an environment of growth, learning and warmth, with the intent of helping you plant your own roots outside of our walls.
We are
RELAXED
The first few months of acclimating to a new environment are full of challenges and learning curves. Stopgap exists to help our guests unwind and decompress so that they can take on their new world and all it has to offer.
ROOTED
We strive to help our guests one day feel like a local and plant their roots in their new home.
SUPPORTED
With classes on how to understand and participate in the new culture, to guides on where to eat and sights to see, we encourage our guests to create life-long working relationships inside and out of our close-knit community.
We are
more than just temporary housing
WE
PROVIDE
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Hassle-free airport pickup
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Storage for luggage and belongings
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Fully furnished private bedroom and bathroom
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Communal work and lounge space
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Family-style kitchen and dining area
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Local tours and activities
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Complimentary Bike Rental
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Curated Social Events
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Apartment Search Assistance
TEMPORARY, BUT SENSIBLY SO
While Stopgap is the ideal place to live when embarking on a new chapter in one’s life, we believe that six weeks is the ideal amount of time to acclimate our guest into their new environment. We provide apartment search assistance so that our guests can spread their wings and leave behind the Stopgap nest. While you may not live under our roof forever, our events and activities ensure that you remain a part of the Stopgap community for years to come.
PARTNERSHIP
WITH NPA WORLDWIDE
NPA Worldwide is a global recruiting company with over 500 offices and 1300+ recruiters on six continents. They’re rooted in the belief that local connection gives you global reach.
With a potential partnership with NPA Worldwide, Stopgap Living could grow their customer base and also engage with a wider audience globally. NPA Worldwide could benefit from Stopgap Living services by providing their new recruits with a fun, unique temporary housing option, resulting in higher employee retention.
The design process
STOPGAP
We chose the name Stopgap because it means temporary, or interim. This seemed appropriate because our service is a temporary crutch to ease guests into a new life and culture.
COLOR
We specifically chose the color palette because we wanted the Stopgap brand to feel reliable, energetic, and bold. Our color palette includes a dark navy, a soft blue, warm gray, and a vivid red, to be used sparingly.
Look & feel
The process
The Team:
Elliott Hartz Role: Research | Ideation | Strategy | Onboarding
Sophie Lichtman Role: Onboarding copy
Unedited raw images sourced from unsplash.com