Halfway between coworking and colocation, the concept of “coliving”, which arrived in France a few years ago, offers individuals the opportunity to live in large accommodation which offers many common areas and activities (gym, coworking, restaurant…). An external operator manages and animates the space, the services are similar to hotel services, and all charges are included in the monthly price.
Forms of coliving vary, from small houses with handpicked residents to large residences with hundreds of rooms. According to a study published at the end of 2019 by the real estate subsidiary of the bank BNP Paribas, the market would only offer 5,000 seats at the moment, but this number is growing exponentially.
This new practice is aimed primarily at young workers, who seek to avoid rents that are difficult to bear at the start of their careers and wish to meet new people. “Coliving affects urban, young, single people who live among themselves and find it difficult to leave the atmosphere of their studies”, remarks Monique Eleb, sociologist specializing in housing.
Proposed directly by a company when it recruits an employee or sends him on a mission, co-living can be an argument to attract these demanding young people, notes Claire Flurin, co-founder and administrator of the international association Co-Liv. “Before the Covid crisis, we already had strong signals, particularly in the tech sector, with requests either for rooms in coliving sites, or entire coliving residences dedicated to the company, in the same way of the Google campus. “
Collective offices
The concept facilitates remote professional activity, as an extension of coworking. For example, collective offices with Wi-Fi and printers can be part of the equipment. “In our residences, a large workspace is included in the common areas”, describes Maxime Armand, co-founder of Urban Campus. “The concept is both housing and coworking spaces, on the ground floor or first floor, with comfortable seats, a double screen… We want to create places to live and work”, explains, for his part, Géraud Le Merrer, digital and marketing director of Sharies.
While the office is undergoing profound questioning, coliving wishes to offer companies flexibility in the organization of work, with an à la carte service for each employee. “The office of tomorrow becomes a network of offices, observes Claire Flurin. The worker realized that he could work from anywhere, and this news suggests an office that would have accommodation capacity. “ When the residence is not far from the company’s offices, a hybrid way of working may be preferred.
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