The impact of space: How to approach the design of a coliving for digital nomads?

I am writing this article after 12 months of exploring the subject of coliving design and 24 months of being a digital nomad during which, I visited 12 different colivigs. I have talked to many co-living operators/owners and colivers about coliving spaces in order to understand how/if architecture can bring value.

We all agree that community is the most important aspect of coliving. Community - yes, space - maybe? I personally believe that it all comes down to experience. We all go to colivings for those special moments - that #whatalife feeling. When speaking with the colivers they usually say the most important to them are connections, memories and experiences. But when they compare coliving to coliving they tend to focus on space:

• I like coliving X because of the amazing location/views.

• I don’t like coliving Y because you can leave the building without bumping into someone.

• I like coliving Z, but the kitchen is not that great.

Making a step back let’s think about what makes a great coliving. What are the ingredients? I propose:

space + operation + luck🧪

- luck being the chemistry between colivers.

The question is how can we use the above equation to make the experience greater? I will leave the operation to community facilitators, luck to luck and I will focus on space.

Defining the main zones in a coliving

Let’s start by some pigeonholing. Colivings for digital nomads have many rooms. How would you group them? If you have been to a coliving it’s pretty obvious. Each coliving consists of the same main zones:

• Communal Spaces: These are spaces to spend time together. It’s a kitchen, dining area, living rooms, outdoor spaces and all the circulation areas.

• Co-working: The spaces where we get the job done - whatever that means.

• Private Spaces: I like to call those spaces Sanctuaries. That’s where we go to recharge to be ready to enter the communal space again.

The contrast of activities in each of these zones is gigantic. I argue that creating a clear division between them while maintaining a symbiotic relationship among these spaces is the greatest challenge when it comes to coliving design.

Space Planning

What should be the size of each zone? How much of the communal space do we need? It’s getting down to a social balance - a ratio between private and communal spaces. It’s about finding the sweet spot where colivers have enough communal space for various activities but will be able to find each other easily.

The next step is to decide what goes where within the building. While there are many parameters to consider, I believe the choice should be primarily driven by noise levels and circulation. Conducting a simple movement path analysis can help us understand how the colivers will navigate the space and identify the natural meeting points. I have created a diagram that illustrates the ideal sequence of spaces:

The main entrance and its surroundings are the most active parts of the building, making them a perfect fit for the communal spaces, which don't mind some buzz. Private spaces, on the other hand, are on the opposite side of the spectrum. They should be situated in the furthest and quietest part of the building. Co-working spaces will naturally be located in between, overlapping with both private and communal areas.

Let’s look at each zone individually.

communal spaces in a coliving

Communal spaces are the essence of the coliving - this is where the community is formed. How we shape those spaces can play a role in facilitating meetings between colivers, but also it can drive their behaviours - this is what we call design for social interaction.

There are various techniques we can employ to encourage people to engage socially. As a general rule, most interactions tend to occur in circulation spaces – those 'in-between' areas. Corridors, for instance, offer more than just a path from point 'A' to 'B.' They present perfect opportunities for unexpected conversations and the birth of new ideas. So, where should the hub of the circulation space be? As we've discussed before, it's the entrance to the building. Regardless of one's intentions, those doors will always be used.

You are more likely to bump into people when there are fewer pathways to choose from: less options → more chances. How about some furniture? Putting a variety of seating options would help extend the time spent in them, which would again give more chances for a spontaneous chat.

Stairs and landings overlooking communal space will let colivers know what’s happening where. It’s the transparency of interactions. Internal glazed walls or wide doorways will create a sense of both privacy and visibility.

Points of interests

It’s much easier for people to engage in a bit of socialising if they know where the action is happening: space X to do activity Y and space Z for the lost souls who are yet to discover plans for the day. People need to know where to go to get what they want. So, yes for defined spaces.

But colvings for digital nomads are relatively small buildings. Sometimes you need to squeeze 10 activities into 2 rooms. Flexibility, both for size and for use is needed. One room will have to serve different activities of different sizes. Designing 2 interconnected living rooms that can become one can be a solution while giving the option to create smaller groups as well. It’s a good time to introduce the concept of privacy levels. There is a need for something between a room for 1 and a space for 20. That’s why we should be also designing spaces for 3 and 8, both in terms of room sizes and furniture layouts. The large variety of seating options within different parts of the building will allow colivers to form different group sizes more easily.

And above all, the quality of the space. Pleasant spaces will make people want to spend time in them. There is nothing better for social interaction than feeling comfortable and happy with what surrounds us. Happy people are social people.

Don’t underestimate the power of food

We cook & eat 3 times a day - it’s a LOT of time. We all tend to have meals at similar times. It’s yet another opportunity for social interaction. We chat while cooking, we chat while eating. It comes naturally. Still, there are design techniques to be used. Spacing between kitchen-dining-living should be the sweet spot, so they feel like separate zones but still enable interactions. An island in the kitchen, for instance, will make colivers start a conversation even more easily. You can read more about kitchen design for colivings here.

Apart from individual dining, there is the eating together. It’s a moment when the community gets together to share real quality time. I would always put this space in the best part of the building, ideally outdoor if the weather allows. Add some quality lighting. Make a real magic.

co-working for digital nomads

How do you work? There's no surprise that different people have different answers to this question. That's why co-working spaces need to accommodate various work dynamics. Subdividing the space becomes inevitable. To start, let's consider creating quiet and non-quiet zones. By quiet I mean quiet. People need to have a safe place where they know they will not be distracted. The non-quiet zone is a space that allows for small chats or quick calls. For the rest, you have call or meeting rooms.

Choice of furniture, apart from appropriate ergonomics, should allow for flexibility. Let’s have some seating and standing desks but also some comfy sofas where you can lay down with your legs up answering your emails.

Temperature, fresh air, views, lots of natural light and appropriate artificial light [the warmer the nicer, but for the best focus 3000K is the number] need to be considered.

The furniture layout needs to interact with natural light carefully. Desks should be placed perpendicular to external walls, with the short side next to the window. This is to avoid glares on computer screens.

These days, office design debate cannot exist without biophilia - love for plants. Plants have a very calming effect on humans and can massively boost our productivity. They will make the space more relaxing, helping concentration and performance. Plus they have air purification properties!

private spaces in a coliving

Each of us is different but even the most social person needs some me time eventually. The Sanctuaries - simple, protected, private, comfortable spaces where colivers can relax, unwind and recharge away from others.

The bedrooms should create a feeling of calmness, security and identity. That can be achieved by selecting appropriate finishes and furniture. Warm/soft materials and muted colour palette will do the job. Bed is a centrepiece and a very good mattress cannot be stressed enough. Think about appropriate storage space so that colivers can properly unpack for the best home experience.

These rooms are slightly darker with soft, warm light [2500-2700K] from dimmable bedside lamps or wall lights. Having a variety of light arrangements will give different mood options. Also, let’s not forget about the window blinds to control the external light.

In any bedroom design, a few finishing touches can make all the difference. This is where you can show your love to the colivers by placing some personal accents.

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Final thought

Space is Second, controllable set of ingredients that can improve the coliving experience. Hope you are with me here.

The intention is to go a bit deeper into the coliving design and understand its place in the whole concept of colivings for digital nomads.

If you are a coliving owner/operator or a coliver I would be very curious to hear your thoughts. Ping me if you want to chat.