Co-living

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A shared kitchen in student accommodation at the University of Exeter in England Northernhay House shared kitchen (9622567534).jpg
A shared kitchen in student accommodation at the University of Exeter in England

Co-living [1] is a residential community living model that accommodates three or more biologically unrelated people living in the same dwelling unit. [2] Generally co-living is a type of intentional community that provides shared housing for people with similar values or intentions. [3] The co-living experience may simply include group discussions in common areas or weekly meals, although will oftentimes extend to shared workspace and collective endeavors such as living more sustainably. An increasing number of people across the world are turning to co-living in order to unlock the same benefits as other communal living models (such as communes or cohousing), including "comfort, affordability, and a greater sense of social belonging."

Contents

Co-living as a modern concept traces its origins to shared living models of the 19th and 20th centuries such as tenements in the UK, boarding houses in the US, and chawls in western India, yet ancient forms of communal living such as the longhouse date back thousands of years. Its contemporary form has gained prominence in recent years due to a combination of factors including increased urbanization rates, a lack of affordable housing options, greater rates of disability requiring group home or assisted living arrangements, and a growing interest in lifestyles not dependent upon long-term contracts.

Benefits

Sustainability

Co-living can enable a more sustainable lifestyle due to shared resources, allowing each individual to consume less energy, water, and space. [4] With more communal areas and less space per individual, less energy is required for heating and cooling. Having a smaller floor area per person also limits the quantity of materials needed, reducing the emissions from building construction. [5]

Several coliving companies, such as Cohabs, are leading the way in prioritizing sustainability within their operations. These companies have taken significant steps towards environmental responsibility, with some achieving B Corporation certification, exemplifying their commitment to social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. [6]

Community

The vast majority of co-living companies around the world claim that community is the number one benefit they provide their residents. Co-living companies promise their residents a thoughtful, community-driven living experience that will lead to meaningful relationships. One of the trends that has increased the demand for the community is the loneliness epidemic that has been identified by researchers in countries around the world. [7] Studies have shown that "loneliness is just as lethal as smoking 15 cigarettes per day" and "lonely people are 50% more likely to die prematurely than those with healthy social relationships." [8] [9]

Studies show that daily social interactions, such as those common in co-living communities, can actually "improve health and increase longevity." [10] Early evidence from co-living operators highlights the benefit of community. Venn, an Israeli co-living operator with locations in Israel, Germany, and the US, found that "loneliness levels drop by 50% just 6 months after joining Venn" and "100% of members feel they are socially supported." [11]

Convenience

The convenience benefit of co-living comes namely from flexible lease terms and a customer-centric business model. Instead of only offering twelve-month leases, many co-living operators offer shorter lease terms of three or six months that better suit the dynamic lifestyles of their tenants. In fact, an increasing number of co-living locations are starting to offer month-by-month rental agreements as well as the option to not pay a traditional deposit. As a differentiation strategy, co-living operators also aim to remove the many frictions of the traditional living experience such as buying and moving furniture, finding roommates, or paying separate utility bills. By providing fully furnished rooms, offering roommate matching, and including utilities in a single rent price, co-living operators create a convenient living experience "so all you need to do upon arrival is unpack your suitcase." [12]

Cost savings

Another potential benefit of co-living is relatively affordable rent when compared to traditional living environments in the same area. Co-living operators decrease costs for their residents in two main ways. First, many co-living operators bundle their product offering to include a variety of services for one, all-inclusive price. Instead of paying separate bills for utilities, furniture, wifi, gym access, cleaning services, and amenities (such as paper towels, linens, or coffee), co-living residents pay one bill each month that comes at a discount compared to paying for all the services individually. Second, many co-living operators utilize higher density spatial design models to decrease the amount of rent paid by each resident. By operating four or six-bedroom units instead of studios or two-bedroom units, "the rent per square foot of a co-living unit will be much higher than that of a traditional multifamily unit." [13]

Types

All modern co-living concepts are in one way or another a form of communal living, yet people from across the world have developed different types of co-living. [14] Co-living communities can vary on a wide variety of characteristics including length of stay, building type, community size, and resident demographics. For example, many urban co-living spaces have upwards of 100 residents, cater their offering to young professionals, and only offer leases longer than six months. Rural co-living spaces may exist in a five-bedroom house, are popular amongst digital nomads, and allow residents to rent on a month-to-month basis.

Cost conscious

The cost-conscious category of co-living is oriented towards cost-conscious residents that are oftentimes priced out of large cities. With home prices outpacing wage growth in 80% of U.S. markets, an increasing number of people are looking for affordable living options within large urban areas. [15] Many co-living operators have seized the opportunity to provide a relatively more affordable living experience centered around community. Operators such as Haven co-living in Los Angeles, Outpost-Club in New York, or The Student Hotel in Europe have a shared room offering (along with single rooms) where two to four residents will stay in the same room. Due to the increase in density, potential residents can expect to pay far less than renting a studio in the same city.

Physically

Co-living is similar to single room occupancy as it offers residents an individual space in a shared property. Some have a private room with an ensuite bathroom; however, shared bathrooms are not uncommon and at lower prices, spaces have dormitories in the same manner as a hostel [ citation needed ]. Spaces may simultaneously offer many of these types of individual space thus providing for multiple budgets and types of residents.

The defining characteristic is that all co-living spaces offer at least a shared kitchen and living room in the same manner as in a flatshare, yet usually larger and better furnished as co-living spaces focus more on the shared facilities than the individual space.

Some may have a separate workspace whether simply offering desks for online work, or tailored more to their specific residents, such as studios for painting or woodworking. More elaborate and larger spaces may also have cafes, gyms, cinemas, and other amenities. [16]

Philosophically

An aspect of intentional communities that is found, especially in smaller independent co-living spaces, is that of shared values, interests, or purpose in life amongst its residents. [17] Such houses often curate their residents to match these values, so that strong bonds and affinities are built which works to resolve the social isolation often found in entirely independent housing units.

Community types

The concept of "Community Types" within coliving environments emphasizes the importance of aligning individuals with similar interests, values, and lifestyles to enhance their living experience. By categorizing coliving spaces into distinct community types, such as coliving for startups, divers, dancers, or remote workers, residents are more likely to find like-minded individuals with whom they can connect on a deeper level. This approach fosters a sense of belonging and community among residents and significantly contributes to their personal and professional growth. The selection of specific community types is based on recognizing that a shared living environment is most enriching when it can also be a space for shared passions, collaborative projects, and mutual support. [18]

History

Sometime between 1933 and 1934, shared living space was designed in north London called 'Isokon', which was established by Wells Coats. It offered similar amenities, such as a shared communal space, workspace, and things such as a laundry area. [16] It was seen as a part of a greater effort during the intra-war period between World War I and World War II by the Modern Architectural Research Group (MARS) to advance modernist discourse in Britain. [16] Another effort to do this idea was in 1937 by Maxwell Fry (a founding member of MARS) and Elizabeth Denby and was called Kensal House. [16]

Co-living spaces began to emerge in part due to rising property prices. [19] Attempts to establish co-living businesses were made in 2014 and 2015 by companies including 13 and Techsquat, but the attempts failed. Later more successful efforts were made to establish co-living businesses. [20] Relaxations on the minimal rental period for private homes were made in June 2018 from six months to three resulted in a boost for the industry. [20] Cities such as New York City have created incentives for co-living companies to build affordable housing in the city. [21]

Usage

Co-living appeals particularly to millennials due to rising property prices. [19] Residents of co-living spaces typically range between the ages of 19 and 40 years. They are typically employees of startups, entrepreneurs, or students. [20] A survey conducted in various cities in India found that approximately 72% of millennials were willing to consider a co-living space. It also found that 55% of 18–23 year olds were willing to spend R10,000–15,000 per month. [22] Part of the appeal to millennials is due also to a relative reluctance to marry and/or start a family due to cost. [19] [ citation needed ] High student loan costs are also a factor. [23] From 2005 to 2015, there was a 39% increase for millennials living with housemates. [24] The rise in co-living and similar housing was also impacted by the financial crisis of 2007–2008. [23] co-living is particularly popular in cities and urban spaces where housing is costly and limited, providing a more affordable and amenity-based alternative to individual apartments. [25] Guests from the same or similar industry tend to be matched together. [20] [16]

Impact

Co-living has grown in popularity in cities such as New York City and London. [26] A Bloomberg article cited "adult dorms" such as co-living facilities as one of the "eight social trends told us about America's economy in 2018." [27] Author Alexandria Lafci speculated in 2018 that co-living could become ubiquitous in the same way coworking is. She cited both the expectation of 2.5 billion people living in cities by 2050 and 90% of people living on 10% of our land's surface. [28] Hotelier Ian Schrager claimed that co-living spaces were "blurring the distinction between residential and hotels" due in part to differing sensibilities between millennials and previous generations. [29] Author Polly Chu proposed co-living as a potential solution for Hong Kong's housing issues. She said that it could both be done with cross-generational housing – i.e., retrofitting a retirement home to accommodate younger people living with elderly family members – or standard housemates. [30]

Author Matthew Stewart was critical of a specific co-living corporation for "the price, exclusivity, substandard size of bedrooms and cynical view of community." He was also critical of the idea of co-living as a new idea, when he claims that it is a modern, commodified take on a form of living that had a "radical social intent."

Cohousing

Co-living can be considered related to cohousing as the concepts appear to overlap. Both co-living and cohousing have shared areas that benefit all, such as spaces for events or communal meals. Cohousing provides self-contained private dwellings (often houses but sometimes apartments), often owned by the resident, but sometimes rented. Co-living on the other hand has independent units within the same building (apartments or rooms), which are often rented. However, none of these are exclusive, thus the potential overlaps. [17] The key distinction is that cohousing embeds collective resident control and stewardship into its legal form and decision making [31] whereas coliving is typically owned and run by external investors or operators, although the owner sometimes also lives in the co-living space. Comparing coliving and cohousing, [32] it is essential to understand the differences in terminology and living arrangements.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public housing</span> Residential properties owned by a government

Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, definitions of poverty, and other criteria for allocation vary within different contexts. Within the OECD, social housing represents an average of 7% of national housing stock (2020), ranging from ~34% in the Netherlands to less than 1% in Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cohousing</span> Intentional community of private homes clustered around shared space

Cohousing is an intentional, self-governing, cooperative community where residents live in private homes often clustered around shared space. The term originated in Denmark in the late 1960s. Families live in attached or single-family homes with traditional amenities, usually including a private kitchenette. As part of the communal orientation, shared spaces typically feature a common house, which may include a large kitchen and dining area, laundry, and recreational spaces. Walkways, open space, parking, playgrounds and gardens are common examples of shared outdoor spaces designed to promote social interactions. Neighbors also often share resources like tools, babysitting and creative skills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roommate</span> Person with whom one shares a living facility

A roommate is a person with whom one shares a living facility such as a room or dormitory except when being family or romantically involved. Similar terms include dorm-mate, suite-mate, housemate, or flatmate. Flatmate is the term most commonly used in New Zealand, when referring to the rental of an unshared room within any type of dwelling. Another similar term is sharemate. A sharehome is a model of household in which a group of usually unrelated people reside together, including lease-by-room arrangements. The term generally applies to people living together in rental properties rather than in properties in which any resident is an owner occupier. In the United Kingdom, the term "roommate" means a person living in the same bedroom, whereas in the United States and Canada, "roommate" and "housemate" are used interchangeably regardless whether a bedroom is shared, although it is common in US universities that having a roommate implies sharing a room together. This article uses the term "roommate" in the US sense of a person one shares a residence with who is not a relative or significant other. The informal term for roommate is roomie, which is commonly used by university students and members of the younger generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intentional community</span> Planned, socially-cohesive, residential community

An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is designed to foster a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork. Members typically unite around shared values, beliefs, or a common vision, which may be political, religious, spiritual, or simply focused on the practical benefits of cooperation and mutual support. While some groups emphasise shared ideologies, others are centred on enhancing social connections, sharing resources, and creating meaningful relationships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Housing cooperative</span> Type of housing development that emphasizes self-governance and quasi-communal living

A housing cooperative, or housing co-op, is a legal entity, usually a cooperative or a corporation, which owns real estate, consisting of one or more residential buildings; it is one type of housing tenure. Typically housing cooperatives are owned by shareholders but in some cases they can be owned by a non-profit organization. They are a distinctive form of home ownership that have many characteristics that differ from other residential arrangements such as single family home ownership, condominiums and renting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chawl</span> Architectural system

A chawl (Marathi:चाळ) is a type of residential building found in western India, similar to a tenement. Typically low quality housing, chawls are generally associated with poverty. The first chawls were constructed in the early 1700s, as housing for industrial workers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Affordability of housing in the United Kingdom</span> Housing affordability in the UK

The affordability of housing in the UK reflects the ability to rent or buy property. There are various ways to determine or estimate housing affordability. One commonly used metric is the median housing affordability ratio; this compares the median price paid for residential property to the median gross annual earnings for full-time workers. According to official government statistics, housing affordability worsened between 2020 and 2021, and since 1997 housing affordability has worsened overall, especially in London. The most affordable local authorities in 2021 were in the North West, Wales, Yorkshire and The Humber, West Midlands and North East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single-room occupancy</span> Type of low-cost housing

Single-room occupancy (SRO) is a type of low-cost housing typically aimed at residents with low or minimal incomes, or single adults who like a minimalist lifestyle, who rent small, furnished single rooms with a bed, chair, and sometimes a small desk. SRO units are rented out as permanent residence and/or primary residence to individuals, within a multi-tenant building where tenants share a kitchen, toilets or bathrooms. SRO units range from 7 to 13 square metres. In some instances, contemporary units may have a small refrigerator, microwave, or sink.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Retirement community</span> Town or housing complex for older adults who are generally able to care for themselves

A retirement community is a residential community or housing complex designed for older adults who are generally able to care for themselves. Assistance from home care agencies is allowed in some communities, and activities and socialization opportunities are often provided. Some of the characteristics typically are: the community must be age-restricted or age-qualified, residents must be partially or fully retired, and the community offers shared services or amenities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Affordable housing</span> Housing affordable to those with a median household income

Affordable housing is housing which is deemed affordable to those with a household income at or below the median as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index. Most of the literature on affordable housing refers to mortgages and a number of forms that exist along a continuum – from emergency homeless shelters, to transitional housing, to non-market rental, to formal and informal rental, indigenous housing, and ending with affordable home ownership.

Muir Commons is a cohousing development located in Davis, California. Completed in 1991, Muir Commons was designed by Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett at McCamant & Durrett Architects and is known for being the first new-construction cohousing development in the United States. Opposed to many traditional neighborhoods, Muir Commons was created and maintained around the premise of fostering a sense of community between its residents by facilitating community-level functionality. While each family or individual lives in a privately owned residence, many other features of the community are shared, including a central communal building, an orchard, gardens, yards, workshops, and even the decision-making process.

Housing in Europe includes modern and traditional styles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Microapartment</span> Type of house

A microapartment, also known as a microflat, micro-condo, or micro-unit is a one-room, self-contained living space, usually purpose built, designed to accommodate a sitting space, sleeping space, bathroom and kitchenette with 14–32 square metres.

Rent regulation is a system of laws for the rental market of dwellings, with controversial effects on affordability of housing and tenancies. Generally, a system of rent regulation involves:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poor door</span> Separate entrance in multi-unit housing

A "poor door" is a separate entrance to a multi-unit housing development for those living in less expensive apartments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Community-led housing</span> Way to let future residents design and develop housing

Community-led housing is a method of forming future residents into a 'building group' who contribute to the design and development of new housing to meet their longer term needs, rather than leaving all design decisions to a developer looking to maximise the immediate financial return.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Affordable housing by country</span>

Affordable housing is housing that is deemed affordable to those with a median household income as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index. A general rule is no more than 30% of gross monthly income should be spent on housing, to be considered affordable as the challenges of promoting affordable housing varies by location.

Elvina Beck is an American entrepreneur. She is known for co-founding Californian coliving company PodShare, where she also serves as CEO.

Kathryn "Katie" McCamant is an American architect, developer and author based in Nevada City, California. She is known for her work introducing the concept of cohousing in the United States, including co-authoring two books which introduced cohousing to the English-speaking world. She has designed, developed and consulted on dozens of cohousing communities across the United States, Canada and elsewhere.

Zolostays is a real-tech co-living focused app that provides ready-to-move rooms/beds. It was founded in 2015 by Dr. Nikhil Sikri, Akhil Sikri and Sneha Choudhry.

References

  1. ↑ "What is Coliving? Part 1/4: The Basic Definition". What is Coliving? Part 1/4: The Basic Definition. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  2. ↑ Tummers, Lidewij (August 2016). "The re-emergence of self-managed co-housing in Europe: A critical review of co-housing research". Urban Studies. 53 (10): 2023–2040. doi:10.1177/0042098015586696. ISSN   0042-0980. S2CID   153712745.
  3. ↑ Alfirević Đorđe, Simonović Alfirević Sanјa. Significance of Territoriality in Spatial Organization of Co-living Communities, Arhitektura i urbanizam 50, pp. 7-19. https://scindeks.ceon.rs/article.aspx?artid=0354-60552050007A
  4. ↑ Ataman, C; Dino, I Gursel (2019-07-01). "Collective Residential Spaces in Sustainability Development: Turkish Housing Units within Co-Living Understanding". IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 296 (1): 012049. doi:10.1088/1755-1315/296/1/012049. hdl: 11511/48632 . ISSN   1755-1307.
  5. ↑ "Emissions Gap Report 2022". UNEP - UN Environment Programme. 2022-10-21. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
  6. ↑ "Cohabs - Certified B Corporation - B Lab Global". B Lab. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  7. ↑ Howe, Neil. "Millennials And The Loneliness Epidemic". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  8. ↑ Morin, Amy (2018-06-18). "Loneliness Is as Lethal As Smoking 15 Cigarettes Per Day. Here's What You Can Do About It". Inc.com. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  9. ↑ Holt-Lunstad, Julianne; Smith, Timothy B.; Layton, J. Bradley (2010-07-27). "Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review". PLOS Medicine. 7 (7): e1000316. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316 . ISSN   1549-1676. PMC   2910600 . PMID   20668659.
  10. ↑ Publishing, Harvard Health (22 November 2010). "The health benefits of strong relationships". Harvard Health. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  11. ↑ "Venn Impact Report 2019". Venn City. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  12. ↑ "All Inclusive Coliving - NY, CA, PA, MA". Ollie. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  13. ↑ Manji, Aaron, and Sam Pepper. "Co-Living as an Emerging Market: An Assessment of Co-Living's Long-Term Resiliency." Massachusetts Institute of Technology, September 2019, https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/123605/1135867129-MIT.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y
  14. ↑ Scapinelli, Virginia (2018-10-24). "Stonup - Stonup au Coliving Summit". Stonup (in French). Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  15. ↑ "Home prices are rising faster than wages in 80% of U.S. markets". HousingWire. 2019-01-10. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 Stewart, Matthew (December 2, 2016). "The Collective is Not a New Way of Living – It's an Old One, Commodified". Failed Architecture. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  17. 1 2 "Tiny Rooms, Shared Kitchens: Co-Living on the Rise in Big Cities". Wsj.com. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  18. ↑ "Community types".
  19. 1 2 3 Hemnani, Rohit (December 15, 2018). "New real estate sectors reflect changing lifestyles in Asia". Business Times. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  20. 1 2 3 4 Ramchadani, Nisha (December 15, 2018). "All together now: The growing co-living scene in Singapore". Business Times. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  21. ↑ Chen, Stefanos (November 1, 2018). "Co-Living Goes Affordable". The New York Times. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  22. ↑ Sharma, Ankit (December 27, 2018). "Over 70% millennial willing to consider co-living spaces in top cities: Survey". The Economic Times. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  23. 1 2 Volpe, Allie (August 13, 2018). "The Strange, Unique Intimacy of the Roommate Relationship". The Atlantic . Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  24. ↑ McDannell, Christine (January 2, 2019). "The Generation Y and Millennial Response to Coliving". KNDRD. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  25. ↑ "To Keep Rents Down, Some In Big Cities Turn To 'Co-Living'". Npr.org. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
  26. ↑ "Technologies predicted to be huge in 2019". nine.com.au. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  27. ↑ "What eight social trends told us about America's economy in 2018". Bloomberg . December 30, 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  28. ↑ Lafci, Alexandria (October 17, 2018). "We'll soon co-live in apartments in much the same way we co-work". Quartz. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Hotel Icon Ian Schrager Thinks Communal Living Is the Future". National Real Estate Investor. December 3, 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  30. ↑ Chu, Polly (November 9, 2018). "How co-living for old and young could ease Hong Kong's housing crisis and create a more caring community". South China Morning Post. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  31. ↑ "About Cohousing". www.cohousing.org.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  32. ↑ "What is the difference between coliving and cohousing?". coliving.com. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
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