.
Coliving is a concept of shared housing between people who seek a sense of community, economy and a sustainable lifestyle.
At first, coliving resembles shared villas (tenements), condominiums and republics, but there are some differences that characterize this concept. By the way, we did research on Outpost.com and found good co living New York options for reasonable prices. If you are interested in living in New York, you can check it out and choose the best option for you.
Do you want to find out how the process to live in shared housing works? In today's post, we will explain in more detail the meaning of coliving and show its advantages and disadvantages.
What is Colliving?
Coliving is a concept of shared housing between people who seek a sense of community, economy and a sustainable lifestyle.
Coliving spaces are designed and managed by companies specializing in shared housing.
There are also groups of people who get together to rent, buy or even build colivings.
Some real estate developments are already inspired by the concept of coliving to create small apartments with common areas, such as kitchen, laundry and even coworking.
Despite being relatively new, the meaning of Coliving originates in 1972 in Denmark.
It came up with the name cohousing, a similar term that defines sharing housing.
The first cohousing community, called Sættedammen, was home to 35 families who had individual housing but shared living spaces and activities such as meals and cleaning.
Inspired by this housing model, in 1988, architect Charles Durrett began to apply this philosophy to developments in the USA. That's when he started The Cohousing Company.
The company argues that shared living is the key to promoting a more sustainable society.
From the 1990s, the concept of coliving arrived in Canada and in the early 2000s it began to be successful in Europe and Asia.
Who is Coliving suitable for?
Coliving is indicated for those seeking a more economical lifestyle, in addition to exchanging experiences and living in a community.
In general, young people, self-employed and digital nomads are more interested in shared housing.
But there are also families and elderly people who are increasingly willing to reduce costs and bet on colivings.
There are even colivings geared towards families with children. In these cases, the residents form a support network that helps in caring for the children.
What is the difference between coliving and republic?
It is common to confuse the concept of coliving with student housing, but there are some subtle differences between the types of housing.
In republics, the resident rents a single room and shares common spaces with colleagues. As in coliving, there is an intense coexistence, but the difference is in the sense of community, sustainability and collaborative economy.
The idea of coliving is that people can help each other in everyday matters, from preparing breakfast to sharing clothes and objects.
For a person to be part of a coliving, he must previously identify subjects and objectives that connect him with other residents. This process takes place through meetings and alignment of profiles.
Another difference in relation to the republics is that most people who seek a coliving not only want to save money, but also have a flexible, comfortable lifestyle aligned with sustainable issues.
Furthermore, as we saw in the previous topic, the target audience for coliving is much broader in terms of age and economic situation.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Coliving?
Benefits
Resource economy
The first great advantage of coliving is resource savings.
In addition to saving money, opting for coliving saves water and electricity, as it is common for some developments to be built with low-impact materials (such as solar panels and water reuse systems, for example).
Time optimization
Tasks in common coliving areas are shared, which saves time for residents.
If a resident arrives later or needs to be away for a few days, for example, sharing daily activities ensures maintenance of the house.
Location
Coliving developments are usually built in central and well-located areas in cities.
It's a great solution for anyone who wants to reduce commuting time to work and have a better quality of life.
Community with the same affinities
Anyone interested in living in a coliving should look for a consultant or specialized company that brings together people with the same interest.
After the formation of the group, meetings are held to identify similar profiles. This period of aligning expectations and desires can last up to a year.
Given this context, coexistence in a coliving is usually harmonious and rich in exchange of experiences.
Optimized use of transport
One of the essences of coliving is shared activities, which can include carpooling when needed.
In addition to practicality, sharing transport reduces costs and the emission of polluting gases into the atmosphere.
Disadvantages
Lack of privacy
Living in coliving is not a good alternative for those who prefer more privacy, as most environments are shared.
Waiting time for change
Between the stage of meeting future residents, aligning expectations, architectural design and works, the delivery of a coliving can take up to 3 years.
Therefore, this is not an option indicated for those who are in a hurry to move, as it requires long-term planning.
