Urban Coliving Movement: Tracing Origins, Generational Influences and the Future of Coliving | SPX Lab
As real estate prices continue to soar and urban city centres are increasingly embracing the shared economy model of living, it comes as no surprise that coliving is in full bloom and a popular housing solution for many.
Determined to understand how coliving is evolving & where the movement is headed, we looked into the history of coliving, generational shifts & the growing presence of coliving schemes in the European market.
How it all began
The modern coliving model disrupting the real estate industry today is said to have originated from the basic premise of student housing. Adopting the same model of offering short-term accommodation, shared facilities and providing events for inhabitants — coliving schemes were developed to accommodate a wider demographic of people drawn to a similar, mortgage-free & flexible lifestyle. (Euromonitor, 2018)
In Europe the closest form of coliving first surfaced in Denmark in the 1970s under the “Sættedammen” initiative. A co-housing scheme, Sættedammen provided accommodation for 35 families living in private homes but sharing communal spaces & facilities. The shared spaces were used for social gatherings and everyday activities such as dining and housekeeping.
The attraction to this kind of living sparked a movement and a new standard of living for modern urbanites.
“Today, coliving offers a multitude of possibilities, ranging from people who simply live together — solely sharing the physical space — to communities who also share values, interests and a philosophy of life.” (Souza, E., 2019)
How coliving is positively impacting city life
Although an increasing number of people are opting for a solitary lifestyle — away from the traditions of living at home — studies show that young and elderly people in urban hubs are reporting feeling lonelier than ever. Social Media is not helping this problem either — unveiling that despite having a large community base online, our social networks in the “real world” are actually smaller than they were a few years ago. (SPACE10, 2018)
As the city swells with anonymous faces and declining human interaction, it seems the concern of the so-called “loneliness epidemic” has already sparked major concern — so much so that in February 2018, the British government even appointed a “Minister of Loneliness”.
If you would like to continue reading the full article, click on this link.
© 2014–20 Spatial Experience. All rights reserved.
Originally published at www.spatial-experience.com on May 29, 2019.
