Building a Thriving Coliving Community

Before reading this do give a read to the following

1. Understanding the Coliving Industry
2. Developing Your Coliving Concept
3. Choosing the right location for your Coliving
4. Designing Your Coliving Space

At the heart of any successful coliving space is a thriving community. Unlike traditional housing, coliving is defined by the connections between residents and the sense of belonging that comes from shared experiences. Building and maintaining a strong community is essential to the success of your coliving business, as it enhances resident satisfaction, encourages longer stays, and fosters a positive reputation that attracts new members.

Vetting and Matching Residents

1. Importance of Resident Compatibility
1. Creating a Cohesive Community: The success of a coliving space depends heavily on the compatibility of its residents. A cohesive community is more likely to foster collaboration, mutual respect, and a positive living environment. When residents share similar values, interests, and lifestyles, they are more likely to form meaningful connections.
2. Case Study - Thematic Coliving: In a wellness-focused coliving space, residents who prioritize health and mindfulness are more likely to engage in shared activities like yoga or meditation, enhancing the overall community experience.
2. Vetting Process
1. Establishing Criteria: To ensure a good fit, it’s important to establish clear criteria for potential residents. This might include factors like lifestyle preferences, work habits, and personal values. You might also consider the balance between introverts and extroverts, or those who are more independent versus those who prefer group activities.
2. Application and Interview Process: A thorough application process, possibly followed by an interview, can help you assess whether a potential resident aligns with the community’s values and culture. Asking about their expectations, previous shared living experiences, and how they handle conflict can provide valuable insights.
3. Case Study - Digital Nomad Coliving: For a coliving space targeting digital nomads, the vetting process might focus on work habits, ensuring that residents are comfortable with the demands of remote work and understand the need for quiet, focused workspaces.
3. Matching Residents
1. Creating Balance: Strive to create a balanced mix of residents in terms of age, profession, cultural background, and interests. This diversity can enrich the community by bringing different perspectives and experiences into the shared living environment.
2. Onboarding and Integration: Once residents are selected, it’s important to integrate them smoothly into the community. This might include an orientation session where they meet other residents, learn about house rules, and get familiar with the shared spaces.
3. Case Study - Urban Coliving: In an urban coliving space, matching residents who work in different industries but share a passion for networking and entrepreneurship can lead to fruitful collaborations and a dynamic community atmosphere.

If you are looking to start a coliving business we have recently launched the Artof.Co Incubator Program. It is a 12-month milestone based program helping coliving entrepreneurs successfully conceptualize and build sustainable coliving businesses.

Levels of Engagement and Interaction

1. Encouraging Participation
1. Designing Engagement Opportunities: Engagement is key to building a strong community. Design your space and programming to encourage residents to participate in shared activities, whether it’s through social events, group meals, or collaborative projects.
2. Bottom-Up Approaches: Allow residents to take the lead in organizing activities or events. This bottom-up approach empowers them to shape the community according to their interests and fosters a sense of ownership and belonging.
3. Case Study - Creative Coliving: In a creative-focused coliving space, providing residents with resources like art supplies or access to a music studio can encourage them to collaborate on projects, host workshops, or organize exhibitions.
2. Structured and Unstructured Interactions
1. Weekly Schedule of Activities: A weekly schedule of activities can help residents plan their participation and ensures that there are regular opportunities for social interaction. This could include everything from communal dinners and movie nights to skill-sharing sessions and group outings.
2. Spontaneous Encounters: Design your space to encourage spontaneous interactions, such as passing through common areas on the way to private rooms or positioning shared amenities like coffee machines or laundry facilities in communal spaces. These casual encounters often lead to deeper connections over time.
3. Case Study - Rural Retreats: In a rural coliving space, daily communal activities like morning yoga or evening bonfires can become routine social anchors, while unstructured time allows residents to explore nature together, fostering a strong sense of camaraderie.
3. Supporting Different Levels of Engagement
1. Respecting Privacy: While engagement is important, it’s also crucial to respect that not all residents will want to participate in every activity. Ensure your space allows for both communal and private experiences, enabling residents to engage at their comfort level.
2. Case Study - Flexible Engagement: In a coliving space that caters to a diverse group, offering a range of activities that appeal to different interests and energy levels—such as quiet meditation sessions alongside more active group hikes—can ensure everyone feels included.

If you are looking to learn more in-depth about the coliving industry, you should consider getting the Art of Coliving Book written by Gui Perdrix after interviewing 100+ coliving entrepreneurs worldwide. It summarizes best practices in community building, real estate sourcing, financial models, marketing, architecture, and all other subjects related to building out your coliving business.

House Rules and Culture

1. Establishing Clear House Rules
1. The Role of House Rules: House rules are essential for maintaining harmony in a shared living environment. They set expectations for behavior, outline responsibilities, and help prevent conflicts before they arise. Clear, well-communicated rules create a sense of security and predictability, which is crucial in a coliving space.
2. Crafting Effective Rules: When crafting house rules, consider the values and culture of your community. Rules should be fair, reasonable, and enforceable. For example, rules about noise levels, cleanliness, and shared responsibilities should reflect the needs of the community.
3. Case Study - Coworksurf: At Coworksurf, house rules might include guidelines around shared workspace etiquette, such as maintaining quiet in designated work areas and cleaning up after using communal equipment.
2. Fostering a Positive Culture
1. Defining Community Culture: Beyond formal rules, the culture of your coliving space is shaped by the interactions, values, and shared experiences of its residents. A positive culture is one where residents feel respected, valued, and supported.
2. Encouraging Inclusivity: Promote a culture of inclusivity by ensuring that all residents, regardless of background, feel welcome and included in community activities. This can be achieved through inclusive language, diverse programming, and a focus on mutual respect.
3. Case Study - Wellness Coliving: In a wellness-focused coliving space, the culture might emphasize mindfulness, healthy living, and mutual support, with regular group activities that align with these values, such as communal cooking of healthy meals or group meditation sessions.
3. Conflict Resolution and Communication
1. Handling Conflicts: Conflicts are inevitable in any shared living environment. Establish a clear process for resolving disputes, whether it’s through mediation, regular community meetings, or a feedback system where residents can voice concerns anonymously.
2. Open Communication Channels: Encourage open communication among residents. This could include regular community check-ins, suggestion boxes, or online forums where residents can share ideas and feedback.
3. Case Study - Conflict Resolution: In a diverse coliving space, setting up a peer mediation system where trained residents help resolve conflicts can maintain harmony and strengthen community bonds.

House-Led and Resident-Led Activities

1. Organizing House-Led Activities
1. Scheduled Events: House-led activities are organized by the management team and provide structure to the community’s social life. These activities should align with the community’s interests and values, such as weekly dinners, movie nights, or skill-sharing workshops.
2. Incorporating Local Culture: Integrate local culture into your programming by organizing events that showcase local traditions, cuisine, or activities. This not only enriches the community experience but also helps residents feel more connected to their surroundings.
3. Case Study - Portugal Coliving: In a coliving space in Portugal, house-led activities might include Portuguese cooking classes, fado music nights, or group trips to local markets, helping residents immerse themselves in the local culture.
2. Encouraging Resident-Led Activities
1. Empowering Residents: Encourage residents to take the initiative in organizing their own activities. This could range from informal gatherings like book clubs or game nights to more structured events like workshops or community projects.
2. Supporting Resident Ideas: Provide resources and support for resident-led activities, such as offering spaces, materials, or even small budgets for events. This empowers residents to shape the community according to their interests and fosters a sense of ownership.
3. Case Study - Creative Coliving: In a creative coliving space, residents might organize art exhibitions, music jam sessions, or collaborative writing workshops, with support from the management team.
3. Balancing Structured and Spontaneous Activities
1. Creating a Dynamic Community Calendar: Strive to balance structured, house-led activities with spontaneous, resident-led events. This mix allows for a vibrant community life that feels both organized and organic, catering to different resident preferences.
2. Case Study - Digital Nomad Coliving: In a digital nomad coliving space, a dynamic community calendar might include scheduled coworking sessions and workshops alongside impromptu beach trips or coffee meetups organized by residents.

Building Long-Term Community Bonds

1. Alumni Networks and Continued Engagement
1. Staying Connected: After residents move on, maintaining a connection through an alumni network can keep your community thriving over time. Consider creating a dedicated online space where former residents can stay in touch, share updates, and even collaborate on new projects.
2. Case Study - Global Coliving Network: Some coliving spaces have established global networks that allow residents to stay connected as they travel, fostering a sense of belonging that extends beyond the physical space.
2. Encouraging Repeated Stays
1. Creating Loyalty Programs: Encourage residents to return by offering loyalty programs, discounts on future stays, or special incentives for alumni. Repeat residents bring familiarity and continuity to the community, helping maintain a strong, cohesive group.Case Study - Wellness Retreats: In wellness-focused coliving spaces, offering alumni

Coliving Guide is a series of articles that will give you in-depth understanding of various aspects of coliving and help you take better decisions as a coliving founder. It is for anyone who is thinking about starting or already operating a coliving business. Do share it with fellow founders and enthusiast who would be interested and leave your feedback on coliving@artof.co

1. Understanding the Coliving Industry
2. Developing Your Coliving Concept
3. Choosing the right location for your Coliving
4. Designing Your Coliving Space
5. Building a Thriving Coliving Community
6. Setting Up the Workspace in your Coliving
7. Financial Planning and Unit Economics in Coliving
8. Marketing Your Coliving Space
9. Legal and Regulatory Considerations in Coliving
10. Building and Scaling Your Team in Coliving Business
11. Preparing for Growth and Future Trends in Coliving

If you have any questions around coliving feel free to book a free coliving advisory session here.