WHY THE INCREASING POPULARITY OF CO-LIVING SPACES PROVES THAT SHARING TRULY IS CARING
There is something to be said in favour of the theory that there is safety in numbers. In uncertain times – when the spectre of higher property rental prices looms, the daunting prospect of working in an unfamiliar city appears, or a pervading sense of loneliness creeps in – there is no greater comfort than the company of other people.
It goes a considerable way towards explaining the rise and rise of co-living: a concept that pairs familiar, accommodating private spaces with public areas that encourage interaction, social engagement, and a collaborative sense of community. Although the idea of shared accommodation is nothing new (most of us will have encountered high-density student housing or travel hostels at some point), co-living is now being treated as a powerful, practical, and effective way of addressing contemporary issues including housing shortages, social isolation, and the difficulties faced by young professionals in gaining a foothold in their local property market.
The United States has already seen an explosion of co-living projects across the country, with online platforms encouraging digital nomads, independent workers, and the Millennial demographic to ‘find their tribe’ and embrace ‘communal living with all the comforts of home’, as one site puts it. In Europe, co-living has been presented as a way of correcting shortfalls in urban planning. One prefabricated modular housing system unveiled by architects in London last year has the capacity to turn vacant, unused commercial properties into co-living environments.
Closer to home, UOA Group’s Komune Living has introduced a new co-living concept space in Bangsar South, offering private studios and apartment-style rooms with a wide variety of facilities for the community to use. Available for longand short-term stays, the space prides itself on going far beyond the set-up of a conventional hotel, creating a new way to live, work, and play in its 648 rooms.
Aimed at catering to the requirements of business travellers, professionals who travel for extended periods, and the young, dynamic demographic around Bangsar South, it is a terrific alternative to the often solitary experience of staying in serviced apartments, short-term rentals, and hotels.
Constructed with intellectual designs and the functional use of space in mind, Komune Living’s touchpoints take both community and convenience into account.
Its sense of community springs from the communal lounge, a fully-equipped shared open kitchen, an outdoor BBQ area, a games room, a rooftop pool, a gymnasium, a co-working space, and Komune Café on the ground level.
There are plenty of community events to pull guests out of their rooms and create genuine social experiences – rather than simple networking activities – where daily community activities, weekly local experiences, and monthly special events enable the sharing of interests, skills and knowledge, and the formation of a strong support network.
Even within the fully-furnished private spaces of Komune Living, from the 17 square metre Dreamer Studio to the 38 square metre Thinker Two Room, its all-inclusive rates – another celebrated feature of coliving arrangements around the globe – cover utilities, regular room cleaning services, linen and towels, laundry facilities, and high-speed internet. Becoming part of a community – whether you are there for a handful of nights or several months – has never been so easy or so seamless.
