Coliving Awards
Edition 2021

Living in CONTINUA  is possible to experience the creative process and evolve together with the space. The project is crossed by the passions of artists, artisans, designers and young creatives who give life to their ideas and express their personality.

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As the up and coming generation of the coliving sector, we are inspired to see all the projects we received for this category. Continua pulled through with their innovative project for artists and creatives.

With a strong mix of private, communal, public and outdoor spaces, this project takes into consideration all elements of living communally. Here are some comments the jury members shared with us about this project:

“This project designed by students is excellent in the development of the concept. They design not only innovative spaces (like bedrooms) but also a valuable aesthetic language for the interiors as well as the visual language for the communication (e.g. the study of the logo). All these aspects are very coherent in relationship to the idea, the target and the place where the coliving will be located.”

Co-Liv is the global association of coliving professionals, helping the industry foster and grow through education, connection and business growth initiatives.

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The coliving sector needs initiatives that help its professionals connect with one another and catalyse their projects to new heights. Co-Liv has been doing this since 2016, and with the launch of its recent Ambassador Programme last year during the pandemic, Co-Liv has also reached new heights. Our lead judge, Richard Lustigman shares his thoughts saying: 

“It is a great concept that will drive awareness and improve the quality standards across the sector. I believe Co-Liv attracts young talented people who are highly engaged with coliving and share a passion for fostering the use class globally… Overall, due to the clear articulation and purpose of the organisation, I believe Co-Liv wins the title of best initiative for fostering coliving.”

*Disclaimer: Please note that some members of our Jury Panel may be actively engaged in some of the applications. We have not included their vote within the projects where they are professionally and personally involved to maintain the integrity of these awards, as well as to ensure a fair and transparent selection of winners.

The CF Handbook shares community facilitation best practices and resources for the wider coliving ecosystem, with the aim to help foster authentic connection and communal experiences within shared living spaces.

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Art of Co and Conscious Coliving have made available to us an extremely valuable resource that touches on the core of coliving; community facilitation and building. As something that is specific to each coliving space, community experience and engagement can be hard to understand. The Community Facilitation Handbook is an industry standard that helps coliving operators facilitate, engage and maintain thriving communities. Our Lead Judge, Connor Moore, shares: 

“While many publications, books, and reports have been written on how to best form communities, the Community Facilitation Handbook is the most comprehensive resource specifically catering to the creation of coliving communities… For me, defining and refining the community facilitation process is arguably the most important element for the future growth and success of the global coliving movement. With this in mind, I believe the first edition of the Community Facilitation Handbook will be a foundational resource for the facilitation of strong and impactful coliving communities around the world.”

*Disclaimer: Please note that some members of our Jury Panel may be actively engaged in some of the applications. We have not included their vote within the projects where they are professionally and personally involved to maintain the integrity of these awards, as well as to ensure a fair and transparent selection of winners.

Episode is the biggest Coliving brand in Korea launched in 2019.
We plan to expand operating units from the current 670 to 2,500 within this year.
We would like to introduce ourselves as “life experience producer” providing solutions for ‘better city life’.

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As one of the most prestigious prizes at the Coliving Awards, this special project took us all by surprise. D&D Property Management brought their B2B and B2C communities together to show the world the support and brand loyalty they have gathered. As a company that is bringing innovative shared living schemes to the South Korean market, Episode is pushing the boundaries of coliving and creating new standards for innovative living solutions. Our Lead Judge, Claire Flurin, shared that the Episode application was: 

“Extremely well documented application. Lots of details and metrics to understand performances. A very comprehensive submission with a lot of detail.”

OurDomain offers 21st century urban living that allows residents to build a unique living experience.OurDomain facilitates social interaction by activating a community, offering events and signature socials, online platforms connect with your neighbours, while also attaining to the need of intimacy.

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As the only company to win two categories this year, OurDomain has showcased their innovative ability to think about shared living in a whole new way. For us the future of shared living is hybrid and blended, and OurDomain is leading the way in this regard. 

Our lead judge Eveline Zoutewelle shares some similar thoughts: 

“OurDomain properties successfully welcome us to the 21st century of urban living with their comfortable, flexible, sustainable, innovative, and affordable residential complexes. They also offer their residents an array of amenities and (shared) facilities so they can continue to enjoy vibrant city lifestyles in metropolitan areas. It's truly inspiring and exciting to see this real-life example of next-generation blended living.”

This is Hmlet's software solution for coliving. Born out of our experience managing spaces, the plug-&-play suite of tools automates the management of assets and end-to-end delivery of member experiences.

An all-in-one tool to handle and analyse coliving member journeys from a centralised view.

‍Hmlet's solution is the first project of its kind: an all-in-one technology solution for operators by an operator. With their in-house experience and R&D, coliving operator Hmlet has developed this solution with their community, their staff and the rest of the coliving sector in mind.

Lead Judge Christian Schmitz touts this as well, saying:

“This is exactly what happens when a successful player in coliving opens up their secrets on how a management tool can work for everyone.”

MyTown is the Philippines’ first and largest integrated co-living provider.MyTown is the project of Philippines Urban Living Solutions, Inc.

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For the coliving sector to evolve and mature, coliving players must embed impact and sustainability into the core of what they do. MyTown is doing just that. 

MyTown is a project that is leading the way for the coliving sector in the Philippines, and aiming to have a positive impact along the way. Our lead judge, Matt Lesniak explains:

“Their buildings and operations are designed with environmental sustainability and climate resilience in mind (i.e. solar panels, recycled water systems, 'typhoon-proof' / purposely built in flood-free areas). They host community events that are focused on supporting local stakeholders, such as tree planting events, beach clean-ups, donation drives in response to typhoons... overall MyTown has clearly presented how it has a positive social, economic and environmental impact on its residents, surrounding neighbourhoods and at a wider city level.”

Sun and Co. is a remote coliving and coworking space for location-independent workers. Our mission is to impact professionals through living spaces that foster remote work, bringing together a diverse group of like-minded people to connect and grow. Location: Spain. Target: Digital Nomads.

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The core of coliving is community, so this is a special win for Sun and Co., and it should be an inspiration and reference for the rest of the coliving world.

As a digital nomad workation hub in Javea, Spain, the ideal environment is certainly what has helped the team at Sun and Co. take the title for this category. But it’s not just because of the idyllic surroundings, but also the energy and devotion the team has poured into the project. Our lead judge, Gui Perdrix shares that:

“As a coliving space, you have shown how you care about the people that visit your space, and they have shown it back to you: the crowdfunding campaign is only one example, the retention rate another. The same goes for your reviews, your neighborhood engagement, and all of the activities that you create to bring the best out of your community. Lastly, you should be honored for your approach that encourages individual responsibility and ownership. Bravo!”

OurDomain offers 21st century urban living that allows residents to build a unique living experience.OurDomain facilitates social interaction by activating a community, offering events and signature socials, online platforms connect with your neighbours, while also attaining to the need of intimacy.

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OurDomain, a shared living project by Greystar Netherlands, is redefining the Purpose Built Shared Living game. With a decades-long operational track record, Greystar has used their in-house best practices to recreate the way their residents can live in the Netherlands. Aimed at students, young professionals and business travelers, this is a hybrid project that has community at its core, and this is represented in their brand as well. Barbara Iwanicka shares that: 

“OurDomain focuses on bringing people together but at the same time there is a lot of attention to individuality. And they do as they preach. OurDomain makes great efforts in facilitating a successful human connection and does it across all media channels which is impressive and reassuring especially in these challenging Covid-19 times. The many supportive personal reviews are the cherry on the cake. I call it a pretty rewarding achievement.”

Our first communal house, The Italian Building, is a very special kind of home, for a community of 28 people sharing life and looking out for each other.  The house has been designed to better connect people to themselves, their housemates and the world around them.

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The Italian Building by Mason & Fifth is a great example of biophilic-centric design. This design has the WELL Building Standard at the heart of  the project, considering air, water, light, and sound quality - amongst many other wellbeing design features - to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of its residents. 

Our lead judge, Piotr Kalinowski shared that: 

“Italian Building is an example of a strong, interesting concept based on a very well arranged space… It is pleasant to observe the evolution of the concept through private zones and the use of second-hand furniture and greenery that discreetly complements the interior design.”

As a response to the rapidly growing demand for student accommodation in Utrecht and the city's ambition of Healthy Urban Living, The Cube project is a joint development of Van Wijnen and Rockfield Real Estate, which will be operated and owned by International Campus under the brand “THE FIZZ”.

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THE FIZZ Utrecht (by International Campus) is an excellent example of next-gen student living. The Cube strives to create a welcoming environment for the students of Utrecht and give them a feeling of home away from home as well as provide them a space to grow and develop, striking the balance between privacy and community. According to Matthias Hollwich,

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“Every scale is considered... The Cube is like a city within the city, where people of all backgrounds come together. This is a winning concept.”