The RSA is working with the creators of one of the world’s largest co-living scheme The Collective to publish a short collection of essays on the opportunities and challenges raised by co-living.
What is co-living?
Co-living is a way of living focused on a genuine sense of community,
using shared spaces and facilities to create a more convenient and
fulfilling lifestyle. Co-living offers a solution that will enable young
professionals to live properly, enjoy themselves and meet like-minded
people. It is an alternative to flat sharing in a city. It’s a new take
on an old idea, imagined by a millennial generation that values things
like openness and collaboration, social networking, and the sharing
economy.
The RSA essay collection
The Collective is sponsoring a short collection of essays compiled
and edited by the RSA which will explore the broad social and economic
shifts which are reshaping our relationship to where we live and how we
live. This is happening within an environmental imperative and a
tech-enabled set of opportunities that compel us to change traditional
patterns of consuming products and services.
The collection will include contributions from five experts drawn
from a range of fields and experiences, including experts in urban
design, regeneration, multi-generational living and designing for
well-being.
Published in advance of London’s local council elections in May 2018,
the audience for the publication includes prospective local
councillors; policymakers in central and local government; experts,
advisors and consultants to the housing and planning sectors; and the
thought leaders who influence the social and economic development agenda
for global cities. The objective is to enrich understanding of the
distinct nature of contemporary challenges – specifically, for a new
generation coming to live independently for the first time – and that a
range of new co-living arrangements are understood with reference to
their potential to address such challenges.
This publication aims to shift the debate about the future of housing
in the UK’s major cities, where affordability and availability
challenges are highly concentrated. The RSA is thrilled to be publishing
on this innovative topic and share a range of perspective on this key
social challenge, informing an important public debate.
The essay collection will be published in March 2018
