“Co-living” uses all the good sides of “co-working,” and transfers them from work to life, said Robert Bukvić, the founder of the Rent24 company, which is based in Berlin, Germany. Rent24 is the majority owner of HUB385 in Zagreb, which is the best-known co-working space in Croatia, reports Večernji List on November 11, 2018.
“Our members tell us that people want more flexibility in their daily lives, and co-living can offer them that because it creates an environment in which they have a room or an apartment to which they can instantly move, as well as a wide variety of activities to choose from,” he said.
Precisely because of these features, co-living is suitable for anyone who wants to spend some time at a location without having to worry about finding an apartment, furnishing it, and getting to know new people. “Co-living is actually a temporary situation, lasting between one to six months, where people get the best of furniture, cleaning services, various events, gyms and the like. The good thing is that you can move in immediately, without paperwork, stress and other problems,” he said.
“Besides, it is still cheaper than staying at a hotel. However, all these services have a certain value and for that reason, we cannot give a precise figure how much a person could save, but we can say they get a temporary home and become part of the community of people who think like them,” he concluded.
In practice, co-living means giving people opportunities to socialise and spend a lot of time together, although this is not mandatory. “For example, we offer many events and activities in which they can participate, from yoga classes to group cooking. But if someone wants to spend a quiet night in their room, of course, they can do it. The level of involvement in the whole concept is up to them.
Robert explained that the relationships people create during a relaxed evening with beer or dinner give them a new perspective and knowledge they can use in their projects. “Users of co-living facilities share the same mentality: they are open to new ideas and experiences, they love to meet new people and share their experiences with them. What we see is that people get used to this quickly, because they become part of the community.”
Is this the future of living and working? “We are fully convinced that this concept will expand, including internationally. We will open spaces for co-living next to our co-working areas,” Bukvić concluded.
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Translated from Večernji List (reported by Nina Cvijanović).
