Smaller room sizes led spectators to see
commonalities with our student housing sector, but the offer has more in common with the high-end hotel experience. For example, we recently submitted plans for a co-living development on a run-down brownfield site in the Southville area of Bristol, which will provide 113 one- bedroom studio apartments and high-quality shared living facilities. The new St John’s Gate co-living scheme, which will range in height from two to five storeys, offers a variety of shared spaces including communal kitchens and lounges, a gym and a co-working space for residents. The plans, submitted on behalf of the
developer Land & Buildings, also include communal gardens, courtyard spaces, and rooftop terraces. It is one of several such schemes that we have designed in Bristol which is currently experiencing a co-living boom. Last year we secured planning permission
for a mixed-use scheme in Bristol’s Rupert Street which will provide co-living accommodation for another 249 people alongside much-needed commercial and community spaces. Our other co-working project in Bristol’s Old Market – which has 61 private rooms and communal facilities – is now fully operational. The redevelopment of the former Premier
Inn at the Bear Pit in central Bristol will provide a further 142 co-living spaces and shared facilities. With room sizes typically just over half the size of a private one-person studio
JN201
apartment, the attraction of the co-living model lies in the high-end shared facilities such as those mentioned above and the central location. This is something that is often
overlooked in public discussions around co-living, which tend to lump it together with student accommodation schemes. We therefore need an accepted industry definition or standard that distinguish legitimate co-living models – ones that offer adequate levels of high-end shared spaces and living facilities – from cheaper dormitory-style temporary housing. Our industry should work harder
to counter this negative image and emphasise the many benefits of co-living which offers a cost-effective solution to the housing crisis in our city centres by delivering high quality examples and talking to those who value experience, quality and location above private space. Developers and architects also need to engage with local authorities early in the planning process to address concerns and demonstrate the community-building potential of co-living. By actively extolling its virtues and
providing high-quality shared living experiences, we can win the increasingly heated debate around co-living. Alec French Architects is actively
involved in contributing to Bristol City Council’s draft co-living document and is hopeful that with the right policy to protect the sector, this form of housing can be a key part of solving our housing crisis.
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