{"id":6754,"date":"2025-04-29T12:49:07","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T10:49:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecitylifer.com\/blog\/?p=6754"},"modified":"2026-07-21T17:18:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T15:18:58","slug":"understanding-the-coliving-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecitylifer.com\/blog\/coliving\/understanding-the-coliving-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding The Coliving Design"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Do you remember the first time<\/em> you dreamt of owning a house? Maybe it had a sunlit kitchen<\/strong> for your coffee, a little reading nook<\/em> by the window, blinds you pull open<\/strong> to greet the morning light.<\/p>

But you grew up. You can only afford to rent<\/em>. The space you live in isn\u2019t yours<\/strong>, no matter how much you pay every month. It\u2019s someone else\u2019s property<\/em>, someone else\u2019s rules<\/strong>.<\/p>

Want to hang a picture frame? Better hope the landlord doesn\u2019t notice<\/em> the tiny hole in the plaster. Walls are too bland? You can’t paint them the way you want<\/em>, or put up the artwork that truly speaks to you<\/em>.<\/p>

And then, there\u2019s the lack of community<\/strong>. Your neighbours are just faces passing in the hallway<\/em>, never stopping to talk. When did living in a home become such an isolating experience?<\/em><\/p>

This is where coliving design offers a new perspective<\/strong>\u2014one that flips the script<\/em> on traditional housing. It\u2019s about creating spaces where people don\u2019t just coexist<\/strong>, but truly connect<\/em>. Where you can bring your creativity to life<\/em>, not just in the way you decorate your room, but in how the entire space functions<\/strong>.<\/p>

Bear in mind<\/em> that coliving design is not a new trend<\/strong>. Our modern-day need for affordable, communal and flexible<\/em> living spaces has stood the test of time<\/strong>. Take a closer look at a real historical example<\/em> of a coliving space designed to foster a communal spirit<\/strong> and improve the quality of life<\/em> for its residents.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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The History of Coliving Design<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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It was the 19th century<\/strong>. Terrible living conditions, low wages, lack of good food and sickness<\/em> plagued Europe. Charles Fourier, a French social philosopher, believed humans weren\u2019t made to live like this<\/em>. People weren\u2019t wired for misery<\/em>, but for passion and cooperation<\/strong>.

Fourier’s community was a hotel-style palace<\/strong>, or ‘phalanst\u00e8re.’<\/em> Inside, a quiet central space<\/em> was for study and contemplation. One wing is for work<\/strong>, while the other is for grand halls and ballrooms for socialising<\/strong>.<\/p>

Jean Andr\u00e9 Baptiste Godin<\/strong> made this a reality. In 1858<\/strong>, he built a coliving community<\/strong> in Northern France. Under a giant glass dome<\/strong>, he combined a factory with large communal living spaces<\/strong>. It had schools, a theatre, gardens, a bath, wine cellars<\/em> and other amenities a human being could ever need<\/strong>.<\/p>

It is called the Le Familist\u00e8re Guise<\/strong><\/a>\u2014a pioneering example<\/em> of coliving designed to uplift lives<\/strong> and encourage shared purpose<\/em>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Godin wanted to do more than provide shelter<\/em>. He wanted a utopia<\/strong>. In it, workers had better living conditions<\/em> and shared resources<\/strong>. Such things were rare at that time<\/em>.

Two centuries later, affordable housing<\/strong> seems just as distant<\/em> as it did in the time of Godin & Fourier<\/strong>. It’s no surprise then<\/em>, that the coliving design has remained<\/strong> and is evolving<\/em>. The design of coliving spaces has created a sense of community, functionality and comfort<\/strong>.

Because when we understand the past<\/em>, we can better shape the future<\/strong> of coliving.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.\"\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJane Jacobs<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProject For Public Spaces<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Today, coliving spaces are more than just a practical solution<\/strong>. They’re a blank canvas for limitless creativity<\/em>, pushing the boundaries<\/strong> of what a home can be. Imagine green spaces, movable walls, colour schemes, plug-and-play lifestyle<\/em>\u2014the whole nine yards<\/strong>.

Let\u2019s explore the coliving design and its key elements!<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Exploring Diverse Coliving Designs<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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There\u2019s no doubt<\/em> that coliving spaces are continuously gaining traction<\/strong> around the globe. They are affordable<\/strong>, sustainable<\/strong>, come with a built-in community<\/em> and more.

However, the coliving design does not have a single approach<\/strong>. Design approaches can dramatically shift<\/em> based on the target demographic<\/strong> and the desired atmosphere<\/strong>.

Let’s discuss some inspiring concepts to consider:<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Repurposing Existing Buildings<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"The greenest building is the one that is already built.\"<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCarl Elefante<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFormer President of the American Institute of Architects<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Old warehouses turned into restaurants. Churches to concert halls. Shopping malls to community colleges.<\/em>
In architecture, adaptive reuse<\/strong><\/a> means repurposing old and abandoned buildings for new use<\/em>. As they near the end of their lifespan, these structures are given a chance to be reused<\/strong>. This preserves their design, appearance and cultural heritage<\/em>.

This concept has been adapted for the coliving design<\/strong>. Many older buildings have large, open floor plans<\/em> that can be perfectly suited for the communal areas<\/strong> that are perfect for coliving spaces. Think of high-ceilinged factories.<\/em> They can be turned into shared living rooms, workspaces or even rooftop gardens<\/strong>.

For instance, a developer in Chicago<\/strong><\/a> planned to convert 31 floors<\/strong> of a 92-year-old commercial building<\/em> into a coliving space for 505 residents<\/strong>. Another project in Hancock Park<\/strong> added five floors<\/em> to a 1930s-era building<\/em>. It has a mix of studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms<\/strong>, plus coliving spaces<\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Office-to-Residential Conversions<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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According to Forbes<\/strong>, 16% of companies worldwide now operate entirely without offices<\/em><\/a>. In the Netherlands<\/strong>, over 5.1 million people embraced remote work<\/strong><\/a> in 2022. Of those, part-time work-from-home setups<\/em> were more popular than full-time ones<\/strong>.

This shift in work culture<\/em> made the coliving design even more appealing<\/strong>. Office buildings<\/strong>, often found in prime city locations<\/em>, have several advantages for conversion into coliving spaces<\/strong>. Their spacious layouts<\/strong> and central spots<\/em> make them perfect for creating modern living areas and shared amenities<\/strong>.

Residents enjoy being near jobs, shops, and transit.<\/em> These are key to urban living<\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Multi-Generational Homes<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The cost of living<\/strong>, loneliness<\/em> and the drastic shift to online social interactions<\/em> forced everyone to reconsider how they live. This is why multi-generational living<\/strong> has become the new trend<\/em> in coliving design<\/strong>. It has been a long-standing tradition<\/em> in parts of Asia, the Middle East, Southern Europe and Africa<\/strong>.

Coliving isn\u2019t just for young adults and digital nomads<\/strong>. You can design coliving spaces that house young people, working professionals and retirees<\/strong>. Each resident has a private room or apartment<\/em>. They share kitchens, living rooms<\/strong> and maybe courtyards or balconies<\/em>.

This trend is inspiring architects and designers<\/em> to create innovative layouts<\/strong> for multi-generational homes<\/strong>. Their focus is on striking a balance between privacy and togetherness<\/em>. They achieve this by using clever space-saving solutions<\/em> like movable partitions<\/strong>, strategically placed staircases<\/em> and even incorporating green havens<\/strong> with planted terraces<\/em>. Accessibility<\/strong> is also a key consideration<\/em>, with features like wheelchair ramps and elevators<\/strong> ensuring all generations<\/em> can go around the home comfortably.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A good example of this is the Three-Generation House<\/a> in Amsterdam<\/strong> by BETA<\/strong>. It reimagines multi-generational coliving<\/em> with a \u2018mini-apartment\u2019 concept<\/em>. It has separate living spaces<\/strong> for a young family on the lower floors<\/em> and the grandparents on the top floor<\/em>. A private elevator<\/strong> provides easy access<\/em>. It also has a striking bright yellow staircase<\/em> that serves a dual purpose<\/strong>: it divides the open-plan interior<\/strong> while visually connecting all levels<\/em>, creating a sense of unity<\/strong> within the home.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Green Roofs<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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What\u2019s great about the coliving design<\/strong> is you can always incorporate green spaces wherever possible<\/em>. This includes green roofs<\/strong>.

Also called eco-roofs<\/em> or vegetated roofs<\/em>, they are like mini-gardens built on top of traditional roofs<\/em>. They consist of a waterproof layer<\/strong>, a layer of soil<\/strong> to support plant life, and a variety of drought-resistant vegetation<\/em>. These roofs offer a range of environmental benefits<\/strong>, including:<\/p>