Dramatic societal transformations- such as pandemics and technological advancements - call for dramatic shifts in lifestyles. Architects keep up by exploring and proposing new models of housing, each iteration catering to society’s latest needs. The co-living model is one such example that has become a roaring success over the past few decades. Redefining the way people live, co-living seeks to provide a form of cost-effective social housing. Although widely targeted at younger generations, the co-living industry is evolving to cater to various niche groups.
The idea of communal living has existed since the era of ancient civilizations. History depicts a strong link between housing and concentration of resources. Today, co-living has erupted as a service-based offering in the real estate market tackling the contemporary problems of population growth, urban density, and soaring property prices.
Primarily targeted at 18-30-year-olds as a financially viable housing solution, co-living cuts costs by allowing users to share public residential spaces and amenities. Millennials are engaging in what is being called “suspended adulthood”, forgoing property ownership for convenience and nomadic lifestyles. Their burden of student debt and trends of delayed marriage and children support the need for the affordable co-living model.
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The Rise of Co-Living: Designing for Communal LifeThe youth, however, are not the only demographic to benefit from shared housing. Innovative models catering to the children, elderly, and multi-generational families are being designed to meet user-specific needs.
The current housing options for senior citizens - like retirement communities and nursing homes - struggle to provide its residents with a sense of social cohesion. Co-living rethinks the current paradigm of retirement by allowing residents to work, study and participate in society. The older generations' similar interests in community, safety, security and enriching experiences align with the benefits of co-living.
Single-parents are another group of people to greatly benefit from communal living. As an alternative for struggling parents having to move back in with family, co-living ventures such as Commune provide affordable housing and service solutions. Apart from financial benefits, single-parents are met with emotional support and companionship from co-livers. It allows for an easy sharing of resources and parenting responsibilities.
The demand for co-living is on a positive incline and real estate players are strategizing ways to capitalize on it. Apart from age-based demographics, developers are introducing co-living properties marketed to people sharing values, goals, desires, interests, and choices. These branded co-living projects cater to travelers, health enthusiasts, artists, tech entrepreneurs and more. Niche service-offerings are centered around the common lifestyle that the residents share, promising them a supportive community and a way to meet like-minded individuals.
Located in California, USA, Haven Co-living is a branded project for wellness-junkies where “living with intention is a daily choice”. It is fully equipped with yoga rooms, a spa, a screening room and an accountability-community to take breathwork classes with. Not far away, UP(st)ART is a communal living space for artists and musicians with studios for multiple creative endeavors. Draper Startup House offers co-living facilities to entrepreneurs and founders across the world.
The popularity of co-living has been bolstered by the subscription economy. Residents can “subscribe” to houses and the experiences that come with it rather than pursue home ownership or tricky rental agreements. The model also allows co-living ventures to branch out into allied avenues - for example, a community house for food fanatics can partner with local restaurants. This thriving business model may radically transform the way people perceive “home” in the coming decades.
Branding is a powerful business tool, especially in a stagnant real estate market. Hybrid models can refresh the real estate sector while meeting people’s needs for affordable housing and companionship. However, branded co-living spaces come with a caveat for society at large - they reduce the scope of diversity and interdependence in the architectural and urban scale.
Structuring of market categories in the real estate sector challenges social diversity and interdependence between social groups. Chance encounters go extinct and “personal identities” become more rigid. When residential projects begin to cater to specific psychographic groups, gentrification soon ensues and creates social division. Public spaces could also morph to cater to psychographic groups in the area.
Architects have been the custodians of social activity and interconnectedness in the built environment. Battling market forces, the co-living industry needs to evolve in a holistic manner to encourage truly communal living amongst diverse individuals. Mutually supportive and cooperative lifestyles are possible between multiple user groups, as seen in organically developed neighborhoods worldwide. Co-living could benefit from the possibility of cooperative and collaborative living arrangements.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: The Contemporary Home, proudly presented by BUILDNER.
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