In a world where housing prices continue to outpace wages and urban isolation is increasingly cited as a public health concern, co-living has quietly become one of the most intriguing social and real estate trends of the decade.
Once dismissed as a niche lifestyle for students or idealists, it’s now evolving into a sophisticated housing model reshaping cities from Copenhagen to Cape Town.
The concept is simple but profound: private living, shared life. Residents have their own self-contained homes, which are usually apartments or compact houses, but share common facilities such as kitchens, dining halls, workshops, gardens and or recreational spaces.
More importantly, though, they share their lives. A recent report in The Observer spotlighted Denmark’s Grønne Eng (“Green Meadow”), a modern co-living community in Copenhagen housing 186 people of all ages. This development features shared kitchens and dining areas, communal gardens, children’s playrooms, workshops and even a music studio. Residents eat together several nights a week, help with upkeep and share resources from tools to transport. For families, the attraction lies in affordable childcare and built-in social networks; for older residents, companionship and security; and for all, a renewed sense of belonging.
The Danish model builds on a long tradition of bofællesskab or “living community”, where residents collectively own and manage their homes. Beyond the practical savings, co-living combats loneliness, bridges generations and supports mental wellbeing through daily social connection. Architecturally, these developments blur the boundaries between private and communal spaces, fostering interaction without sacrificing privacy.
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Could this work in South Africa? The idea may be more transferable than it seems, especially in SA, which is renowned for its spirit of ubuntu, or the philosophy of humanity, community and interconnectedness where a person's identity is primarily formed and perceived through their relationships and interactions with others.
SA’s high property costs relative to average incomes, limited urban land and growing numbers of young professionals and retirees looking for affordable, secure, and connected lifestyles all point to fertile ground for co-living. Developments offering multi-generational or shared-ownership options could help address both affordability and social isolation.
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In fact, elements of co-living already exist here in lifestyle estates, student housing, mixed-use apartment complexes and retirement villages which all blend private space with shared amenities. The next step may be creating communities that purposefully mix these age groups and life stages; where families, singles and seniors can socialise easily as well as co-existing in supportive, sustainable environments.
Co-living, whivalue and increasingly popular in the UK and Switzerland, gives people the chance to invest in something that enhances quality of life as well as increasing in value, and transforms the concept of housing into a shared experience of community, wellbeing and mutual care. It suggests that the future of property ownership, especially in big cities, may not be only about square metres or boundary walls, but about how we really live, together.
