First refactor is to create a UI class.

phase_one.py

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def update(win, status, player_y, player_x):
     draw_player(win, player_y, player_x)
     win.refresh()
 
-def create_ui(stdscr, width, height, status_height):
+def create_ui(stdscr, height, width, status_height):
     curses.curs_set(0)
     stdscr.clear()
     begin_x = 0
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def move_player(player_y, player_x, target_y, target_x):
     else:
         return player_y, player_x
 
-def handle_input(win, y, x, width, height):
+def handle_input(win, y, x, height, width):
     ch = win.getch()
 
     if ch == ord('q'):
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def handle_input(win, y, x, width, height):
 def main(stdscr):
     width=80
     height=26
-    win, status = create_ui(stdscr, 80, 26, 5)
+    win, status = create_ui(stdscr, 26, 80, 5)
 
     player_x = 4
     player_y = 4
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ def main(stdscr):
     while True:
         update(win, status, player_y, player_x)
         new_y, new_x = handle_input(
-                win, player_y, player_x, width, height)
+                win, player_y, player_x, height, width)
 
         player_y, player_x = move_player(
                 player_y, player_x, new_y, new_x)

phase_two.py

@@ -1,67 +1,90 @@
 import curses
+import sys
 
 MAP = [
 "####################",
 "###....#############",
 "###....#############",
 "###...........######",
+"#############.######",
 "#############....###",
 "#############....###",
 "####################"]
 
-
-def update(win, status, player_y, player_x):
-    win.erase()
-    win.box()
-    status.hline(0,0, curses.ACS_HLINE, 78)
-    map_line = 1
-
-    for line in MAP:
-        win.addstr(map_line, 1, line)
-        map_line += 1
-
-    win.addstr(player_y, player_x, '@', curses.A_BOLD)
-    status.addstr(1, 1, "PLAYER STATS")
-    win.refresh()
-
-
-def main(stdscr):
+class UI:
+    def __init__(self, stdscr, height, width, status_height):
         curses.curs_set(0)
         stdscr.clear()
         begin_x = 0
         begin_y = 0
-    height = 26
-    width = 80
-    win = curses.newwin(height, width, begin_y, begin_x)
-    status = win.subwin(5, 78, height-6, begin_x+1)
 
+        win = curses.newwin(height, width, begin_y, begin_x)
         win.keypad(True)
+        status = win.subwin(status_height, height-2, height-6, begin_x+1)
+
+        # keep these for later by assigning to self
+        self.begin_x = 0
+        self.begin_y = 0
+        self.height = height
+        self.width = width
+        self.win = win
+        self.status = status
+        self.status_height = status_height
+
+    def update(self, player_y, player_x):
+        self.win.clear()
+        self.win.box()
+        self.status.hline(0,0, curses.ACS_HLINE, self.width - 2)
+        self.draw_map()
+        self.draw_status()
+        self.draw_player(player_y, player_x)
+        self.win.refresh()
+
+    def draw_map(self):
+        map_line = 1
+        for line in MAP:
+            self.win.addstr(map_line, 1, line)
+            map_line += 1
 
+    def draw_status(self):
+        self.status.addstr(1, 1, "PLAYER STATS")
 
-    player_x = 4
-    player_y = 4
-
-    while True:
-        new_x = player_x
-        new_y = player_y
-
-        update(win, status, player_y, player_x)
+    def draw_player(self, player_y, player_x):
+        self.win.addstr(player_y, player_x, '@', curses.A_BOLD)
 
-        ch = win.getch()
+    def handle_input(self, y, x):
+        ch = self.win.getch()
 
         if ch == ord('q'):
-            break
+            sys.exit(0)
         elif ch == curses.KEY_UP:
-            new_y = (player_y - 1) % 26
+            y = (y - 1) % self.height
         elif ch == curses.KEY_DOWN:
-            new_y = (player_y + 1) % 26
+            y = (y + 1) % self.height
         elif ch == curses.KEY_RIGHT:
-            new_x = (player_x + 1) % 80
+            x = (x + 1) % self.width
         elif ch == curses.KEY_LEFT:
-            new_x = (player_x - 1) % 80
+            x = (x - 1) % self.width
 
-        if MAP[new_y - 1][new_x - 1] != '#':
-            player_x, player_y = new_x, new_y
+        return y, x
 
+def move_player(player_y, player_x, target_y, target_x):
+    if MAP[target_y - 1][target_x - 1] != '#':
+        return target_y, target_x
+    else:
+        return player_y, player_x
+
+def main(stdscr):
+    width=80
+    height=26
+    ui = UI(stdscr, height, width, 5)
+
+    player_x = 4
+    player_y = 4
+
+    while True:
+        ui.update(player_y, player_x)
+        new_y, new_x = ui.handle_input(player_y, player_x)
+        player_y, player_x = move_player(player_y, player_x, new_y, new_x)
 
 curses.wrapper(main)