The Future of Living
Co living. What Uber and Snappcar do with transportation, Airbnb with accommodation, Deliveroo with ordering food and Peerby with renting things; they all contribute to making life faster, easier, clearer and more service-oriented. Will the housing market also be affected by this?
You view your new home from the couch via VR (virtual reality), you get to know your new 'neighbors' online, you conclude a (flexible) rental contract online. All kinds of hassle with paperwork and choosing different subscriptions from energy suppliers and internet providers will soon be a thing of the past. All-in-one living.
Will we soon unite around a common interest to jointly manage living space, share resources and organize activities that contribute to the world around us in a creative and intellectual way? Will we soon be living and working more and more in flexible communities based on the fundamental belief that we are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with? This is inspired by the belief that life is better when we are part of something bigger than ourselves. I think so. Perhaps in a slightly more evolved way than is already happening with projects like The Collective, Urby or North Orleans in Amsterdam North.
A new (international) lifestyle where living and working come together in a new form of living, called Co-living. A place where we live, work and play. Not housing but lifestyle is central. It provides freedom, ensures diversity and personal development, it makes housing affordable, offers a solution for increasing loneliness and responds to people's increasing laziness.
Does this sound far-fetched or implausible? Or is this the new reality? If you want to know the answer, we definitely recommend that you read this and an earlier blog about the future of work - from workplace to lifestyle,to read
1. Co-Living: an increasingly popular lifestyle
Co-living is a lifestyle where living is not the leading object. It is a communal life, a community, in which co-working & co-living meet. A philosophy that combines a modern, sustainable, healthy, urban and social lifestyle. An alternative way of life that focuses on an all-in-one concept. Shared spaces, services, communities, networks and social interaction. Residents who unite under a common interest to share and manage spaces, activities, facilities, life experiences and knowledge together. You are a (family) member instead of a tenant. It is an efficient and effective way to use spaces and resources. It is sustainable, affordable and can make life more enjoyable.
This may sound a bit vague, but co-living is on the rise as a result of many people's search for more meaning, offline connection and flexibility in an increasingly volatile society.
Which target group(s) are the existing co-living concepts mainly used by?
If we look at some co-living concepts such as Welive, the Loft, Roam, the Founder house and Bmine then you can conclude that these concepts focus on 3 target groups: The young urban professional, the digital and travel-loving nomads and finally the flex workers and expats. Looking at international trends, mixed housing options with families or people over 55 will soon follow.
2. Affordability the most important cause for co-living concepts?
World cities, where space is already scarce, are silting up. The days of doing the same job, living in the same house, or even living in the same city for years are a thing of the past. The boundaries between family life, social life and work are becoming increasingly blurred. A more 'nomadic' lifestyle is emerging. Contrast this with the ever-increasing migration to urban areas worldwide and a mismatch arises between supply and demand. This has resulted in rising house prices in major cities such as Amsterdam, New York and London.
But at what price and on what terms? How important is the space factor still? Is the rise of co-living concepts inspired by the (un)affordability of traditional living space or are there social and social factors underlying this?
Demographics
Worldwide, the number of people aged 18-35 sharing a home has doubled since 1980. We live alone more and more often. It is expected that by 2050 half of the Dutch population will be single. Result: a shifting need for more one- and two-person households.
Urbanization, flexibility and affordability
Worldwide, just over 50% of the population lives in urban areas. This share is expected to reach 70% by 2050. This in combination with the flexibilization of the labor market, globalization and the scarcity of (living) space in the big cities causes an (explosive) increase in house prices. No wonder that (basic) housing needs in major cities are becoming increasingly less affordable.
From online to offline life
You would hardly say it, but millennials appear to feel lonely more often than people over 55. Out recent research by EenVandaag it has been found that approximately 71% of millennials feel lonely or have felt lonely at some point. This compares to 40% among those over 55. The explanation for this?
There is no clear explanation yet, but several experts point to the role of social media. It would affect social skills and sense of reality, including physical communication and manners, in 'real' life. Online communication and online friendships make people less happy than offline communication and real offline friendships.
From ownership to use to efficiency
The sharing economy. A socio-economic system in which sharing and collective consumption are central. For millennial parents, property was still seen as a status symbol. This does not apply to the millennial. The millennial himself is more looking for flexibility and convenience. No wonder that services such as Uber, Car2Go, Airbnb, Peerby and co-working places are booming.
3. Does Co-living deliver anything more than pleasure and convenience?
For many, buying and renting a house in the big cities has become too expensive. Sharing spaces and costs, while maintaining sufficient home comfort, seems to offer a good alternative here. All costs and facilities, integrated into one rental amount. Fun, flexible, social, easy and affordable.
''The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they make the best of everything''
But don't co-living concepts, in addition to affordability and convenience, provide even more economic and social benefits? A brief summary of the other benefits I see:
Durable
- The combination of living and working prevents the need for transport from A to B. This saves time, money, frustration and is also good for the environment.
- Sharing facilities has the advantage that fewer products are needed. Fewer products means less environmental impact.
Increase in quality of life (happiness)
- Living together with like-minded people gives people the opportunity to establish relationships and connections, make friendships and exchange life experiences.
- Sharing facilities and tasks saves time. This time can be spent on relaxation, among other things.
- Living in a safe, welcoming and supportive community prevents loneliness.
- Work and live where and when you want, according to your personal biorhythm and situation. No restrictions on opening hours. The ultimate freedom.
Entrepreneurship
- A melting pot of talent. A small and willing ecosystem with a variety of talents and competencies that can strengthen each other creates new coalitions.
- The willingness to share, support, mentor is enormous among residents. The chances of success and more income therefore increase.
Reading tip:
4. The ingredients for a good co-living concept?
Vision is needed to arrive at a good and future-proof concept. Not just a financial vision, but a broader vision in which the development of people's behavior and emotions plays a central role. Now I am not an anthropologist, but with a little vision and knowledge of people, I am convinced that the co-living form of living will further evolve into a widely embraced form of living in urban areas.
But which (building) ingredients do you need at least to achieve a good future-proof, livable and attractive co-living concept?
More about this in one of the next blogs. Can't wait for the next blog? Then Contact us. We would be happy to tell you more about this.
