Living, Differently

Apt. Residential, Ultimo The Future of Co-Living in Australia 29 Living, Differently 28 THE ARCHITECT Successful schemes are those where one or two amenities are delivered particularly well rather than trying to appeal to every possible resident. Brian Mariotti Director, AJC Architects Q. How do design decisions balance private living space with communal amenity, and what design features have been most utilised and appreciated by tenants? A. Residents are generally more accepting of smaller private rooms in exchange for useful, shared facilities. Work-from-home areas, Zoom or podcast rooms, meeting and conference spaces, good acoustics, rooftop terraces, gardens and BBQ areas are particularly valuable where they provide a practical extension of the private unit, rather than simply satisfying a space requirement. Co-Living developments typically have less space available for amenity offering and therefore space use must be more targeted. The appropriate mix depends on the local resident profile and surrounding amenities; karaoke, wellness facilities, dining areas or workspaces may be successful in some locations but unused in others. Q. To what extent is design efficiency (e.g. unit sizing, layouts, shared spaces) critical to development viability in Co- Living? A. Design efficiency is one of the most important factors because oversizing each room across a large number of units quickly increases total floor area and cost. Layouts should make rooms feel spacious and attractive without being excessive, while shared areas should comprise purposeful rooms and flexible zones rather than large, underused open spaces. Successful schemes are those where one or two amenities are delivered particularly well rather than trying to appeal to every possible resident. Q. How have Co-Living designs evolved over recent projects, and what trends are you seeing in terms of scale, layouts and amenity provision? A. Co-Living has moved well beyond its boarding- house roots. Early schemes focused on simple, affordable accommodation, often for students and budget-conscious renters. Now, it is increasingly seen as a lifestyle choice, with better design, stronger amenities and more focus on community and the resident experience. The basics remain the same, efficient private rooms and shared spaces, but products are becoming more tailored to different people and locations. The model can also suit office conversions because units generally have fewer orientation and ventilation requirements than standard apartments, although the existing building may create some design compromises. Q. What considerations are important when designing Co- Living assets to ensure they remain adaptable and relevant over the long term? A. The future proofing of an asset is important. There is an example of a part hotel part Co-Living developmenin which room dimensions and bathrooms remained substantially identical, while furniture was changed to switch functions. Examples include replacing two zip- together king singles with a queen bed and changing an open hotel rail to an enclosed Co-Living wardrobe, allowing the asset to respond to market demand without major structural work. I usually recommend appropriately sized rooms, large windows, access to sunlight where possible, balconies where feasible and good- quality finishes over short-lived decorative features. These fundamentals can remain valuable for many years, whereas expensive finishes or fashionable amenities may require replacement during regular refurbishment cycles. Q. Can design impact exit strategy? A. Developers should identify who might buy the asset before proceeding, especially in a crowded future market. Co- Living developments generally cannot be sold piecemeal, so a functional, highly occupied asset with a clear market position is more likely to be attractive to a future purchaser or long-term holder. The ESG credentials of a building are also important and are dependent partly on the source of capital. Particularly offshore and European funds may treat sustainability as fundamental, while other investors may focus more heavily on measures that reduce costs; the eventual funding and exit market therefore need to be considered during design.