How Co Living Developments Can Help Solve Urban Housing Challenges

Little Valentines garden

Copyright: SHA Architecture & Design

A smarter approach to density without compromising livability

The Urban Housing scene is rapidly changing. Rents are rising, livable space is dropping and loneliness is growing as people are crammed into smaller and smaller apartments in ever growing cities.

Density doesn’t have to mean building up. With smart design, compact two and three-story buildings can still match the benefits of density such as walkability, shared amenities and efficient land use, while staying affordable and sustainable. That’s exactly the approach SHA took with their Little Valentine Coliving project.

Low density developments no longer fit the needs of today’s cities. Housing shortages and increasingly scarce space have created the need for an increased residential density. That higher density can be often seen as negative when it comes to issues like overcrowding, lack of privacy, or reduced living standards. However, coliving challenges this perception by rethinking how space is organized and used. Instead of compromising comfort, it increases density while maintaining, or even enhancing, quality of life.

Improving affordability through community and shared infrastructure

Coliving developments are able to offer residents a significantly lower cost of living per person. In fact, thanks to shared amenities and economies of scale, developers are able to scale the revenue generated by their properties while keeping the cost per tenant lower than traditional housing solutions.

By integrating shared kitchens, lounges, laundry areas, and workspaces, these communities allow more bedrooms within the same building footprint without diminishing residents’ everyday experience. In fact, many coliving schemes provide more communal space per resident than traditional flats, thanks to smart, intentional design that fosters both functionality and social interaction.

Tackling social isolation and fostering community

Big cities these days are characterized by fast paced living in an ever-changing environment. This however, has resulted in loneliness especially among renters, who report a lack of connection with their neighbours and communities. Some UK coliving projects have achieved full occupancy within months of completion. Also, in one Homeviews survey, 92% of residents said they’d recommend their landlord to friends and family.

For planners aiming to support mental health, social integration, and inclusive neighborhoods, coliving provides a built-in community structure that’s hard to replicate in traditional housing.

The main idea coliving revolves around is to “live together better”. It heavily promotes social interaction and gives tenants a sense of belonging and community. The shared spaces become tools for reducing isolation and promoting togetherness. The kitchens, living rooms and balconies become places where the tenants can connect and share intimate moments together.

Although the amount of private space co-living provides is reduced compared to single tenant homes, the quality, amenities and features it is able to provide is unheard of in traditional living terms of community curation.Whether it’s a spontaneous dinner, a late-night conversation, or simply a shared coffee in the morning. These everyday interactions, while small, build trust and familiarity over time, creating a supportive network that turns strangers into neighbours, and neighbours into friends.

Supporting sustainable urbanism

Coliving developments are often intentionally located in vibrant, high-access urban areas where public transport, cycling networks, and essential amenities are within easy reach. This built-in connectivity makes it easier for residents to adopt a car-light or even car-free lifestyle, which not only reduces traffic congestion and parking demand but also contributes to lower carbon emissions and improved air quality.

From a planning perspective, this shift has significant benefits: developments can allocate less space and resources to on-site parking, instead prioritizing shared spaces, green areas, or community amenities. At the same time, residents who rely on walking, biking, and transit are more likely to support nearby shops, cafés, and services, reinforcing the local economy.

Coliving : a viable path forward to ease urban pressure

With the right support and smart design, coliving can offer planning departments a scalable answers to some of the most pressing challenges in city planning today. It allows for more affordable and sustainable living, aligning with the needs of the newer generations of tenants all the while giving developers the opportunity to create high-quality housing that attracts more and more people.

As younger generations seek new models that match how they actually live and work, co living is stepping in to fill a gap the conventional housing market no longer can.