Exploring the World of Coliving and Coworking

Coliving and coworking are two concepts that have emerged in recent years among a generation of workers seeking flexibility, sharing, and meaning.

More than just a trend, coliving and coworking are establishing themselves as true lifestyles, harmoniously combining professional and personal life, thus offering an innovative alternative to traditional frameworks.

Many freelance workers are tempted to embark on this adventure.

Is this your case? Then let's see how to combine coliving and coworking to fully thrive in your personal and professional life.

Understanding Coliving, a New Housing Philosophy

Coliving is presented as a participatory housing model where everyone has their private space while sharing common areas and services with other residents.

It is somewhat akin to a shared housing model inspired by youth hostels and student housings, which is particularly aimed at:

• Young professionals seeking a community and flexible lifestyle.
• Freelancers and entrepreneurs wanting to combine living and working spaces.
• Creatives in search of daily inspiration and collaboration.
• Digital nomads preferring a modular living arrangement according to their projects.
• And even students eager to experience a new generation of cohabitation.

And while this lifestyle meets the aspirations of a generation seeking meaning, sharing, and authenticity in their living environment, it is not entirely new.

From Californian Hippie Origins to New Generation Residences

The concept of coliving has its roots in the hippie communities of 1960s California that already advocated sharing and communal living.

But it truly gained momentum in the early 2010s with the emergence of startups offering coliving residences in major cities:

• WeWork (WeLive): A global leader in coworking, has launched coliving spaces in New York City and Washington DC.
• Common: An American startup managing well-designed and affordable coliving residences in 5 cities (New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles).
• Ollie: A New York player that began offering high-end studios and services for young professionals.
• Quarters: Has settled in 10 European and American cities with an offering of premium housing and common spaces.

Riding the wave of the sharing economy and digital nomadism, these players have democratized coliving in major cities. An inspiring model that is gradually spreading around the world.

Coliving is gradually taking hold in France

After conquering the United States and Northern Europe, coliving has been gaining ground in France in recent years. Players are also expanding in major French cities:

Focusing on functional accommodations and premium shared spaces (equipped kitchen, cosy living room, gym, rooftop, laundry...), these residences attract an urban, mobile, and connected clientele.

All at often more affordable rates than traditional rentals in the heart of major cities.

In addition to cost savings, the next-generation flat-sharing attracts with the quality of its facilities, but above all with its community dimension (events, workshops, parties...) that creates bonds between residents.

Coliving and coworking: a meaningful alliance

Beyond the housing dimension, coliving often goes hand-in-hand with coworking as these shared and collaborative spaces bring together professionals of various statuses who may work side by side.

This is why it is common to find within a coliving residence, coworking spaces to allow residents to work on-site in a stimulating environment conducive to exchanges and collaborations.

Coliving-coworking is therefore an ideal solution for remote workers who want to separate their professional and personal lives while avoiding the isolation of the home office.

Freelancers and entrepreneurs also find a social and professional framework to develop their activity and network at a lower cost. In these hybrid spaces, the boundaries between house-sharing and business relations become permeable, creating great opportunities.

The many benefits of coliving-coworking

Living and working in the same place may seem like a complicated equation for some. Yet, it presents multiple advantages:

In the end, living in co-living while working on-site appears to be the best of both worlds.

A springboard to develop one's professional network

Beyond mere house-sharing, coliving-coworking offers a unique setting to forge connections with people from diverse backgrounds but driven by common aspirations.

The events and activities organised within these residences (breakfasts, afterworks, workshops, conferences, etc.) provide an opportunity to exchange, share skills and build lasting relationships.

A real boost to enhance your contacts and career opportunities!

As you can see, coliving and coworking can prove to be extremely interesting in many ways. But to fully enjoy all the benefits that this model can offer you, it is important to choose your coliving space wisely.

Choosing your coliving space wisely

The coliving sector is still relatively young and not well regulated, so it is essential to be cautious when choosing your place to live.

The main selection criteria

To choose your coliving residence well, you will need to carefully study several criteria before making your decision:

• Location: place, accessibility, proximity to shops and transport.
• Standard: quality and modernity of private and shared spaces.
• Services: included (cleaning, laundry...) and à la carte (dry cleaning, grocery delivery...).
• Activities: frequency and variety of proposed community events.
• Flexibility: minimum length of stay, notice period, possibility to change apartment.
• Price: rent including charges, payable options and services, deposit and fees.

And don't forget, before signing, it is essential to visit the place, meet the team in charge of the residence and talk with some residents to ask all the questions that seem relevant to get an idea of the atmosphere and quality of life on site.

Questions to ask yourself before committing

Coliving requires much more commitment than coworking as it is the place where you are going to live. It is therefore important to ask the right questions before making your choice concrete:

• What are the profiles of the residents?
• How is the security of the residence ensured?
• Are there often technical or neighbourhood problems?
• Are maintenance and repairs carried out quickly?
• Is it possible to personalise/furnish your accommodation?
• What are the rules of life and schedules to respect?
• etc.

By asking yourself the right questions and taking the time to thoroughly study the place and the contract, you will be guaranteed to have a positive and enriching coliving experience.

In summary, coliving-coworking is a growing lifestyle, aligned with the new social and professional expectations of an entire generation of workers. By offering a flexible and service-oriented living environment that fosters synergies, it contributes to the emergence of a new way of living, working and building relationships within a community.

It is therefore an exciting concept that is likely to develop in the coming years. And you, are you tempted by the experience?