These days, we are preparing for what is now becoming an annual detour to Portugal – can you guess the reason?

Well, of course, it’s that time of the year—Running Remote is once again coming to Lisbon, and My Coliving Space: Spain (T&T) is joining as a media partner. 

After another year working in the coliving sector, we have witnessed many changes in 2023-2024 on the remote-work front ourselves.

We are living in a historical moment in which such a wide variety of professionals are able to be location-independent. With such a shift that happened over the past 5 years in how we look at work and what we value, the world is still only paving the path that will later become a standard—or to put it another way—this is still only the beginning of the new working culture. 

And like with many other beginnings, changes and shifts are happening quickly, and it is not any different when it comes to remote work. 

What we have been noticing through the coliving sector is also a shift in tendencies and a change of personas. We have been seeing a new wave of coliving visitors with not fully remote or flexibile jobs, such as those with 2-3 weeks/year WFA models. 

During the past 2 years many companies have experimented with work models and a lot of them chose hybrid as the best option. Surprisingly, many professionals did as well. 

After a few trial years of many people working fully remotely, it seems that there is an increased need for stability, routine, and team connection in the workplace—something that most of us were willing to give up on for more flexibility and independence just a few years ago. 

However, many still believe that the shift we experienced is permanent. It’s been almost 100 years since humanity was introduced with the 9-5 model; is the remote era going to be the end of it and show how productivity and human innovation thrive with more flexibility (time and location wise), or will the history books remember it as a only as a trend or an experiment?

Well, all these questions are the reason we’re excited about this year’s Running Remote. 

As professionals from the sector that is highly dependent on location flexibility, we’re curious to see how it can be shaped into the future to answer the newly emerging (and sometimes even conflicted) needs of the new work-life culture.

What will the future of work be – Remote, Hybrid, or In-office? 

As previously mentioned—this is the biggest question. The truth probably lies somewhere in between – in some type of hybrid model that we might not even have in our minds at this moment.

Flexibility is not something that can be taken back, but stability and in-person connections are something that we’ll want to have back. 

On the other hand, a big part of this tendecy comes from productivity. Where are we more productive and where do we set the best work-life balances?

We’ll explore all these questions and many other on RR 2024, and here are some speeches on this topic we’re especially interested in hearing:

Office at the Offsite – Future of All-Remote Organizations

Speaker: Mr. Prithwiraj (Raj) Choudhury, Professor @ Harvard Business School

On April 23rd, from 10:20 – 11:00 local time, on Radical stage, Mr. Raj Choudhury, a professor at Harvard Business School, will share his thoughts on what hybrid work could mean in the future. 

When we say hybrid, what most of us think is “a few days from the office and a few days from home”. However, Professor Choudhury proposes the idea of a hybrid work that meets the in-person connection needs in a third location. As he says himself, “his research suggests that teams are innovating on both where to meet and when to meet”. 

Companies are increasingly exploring team retreats as one of the offsite community outlets for their employees, but we are also interested to hear if there are more possibilities other than an annual company retreat? Dr. Choudhury will talk about different locations and situations where and when remote teams can meet. 

Once again mentioning Dr. Raj’s own words, his research “shows that even brief periods of being in-person together help individuals innovate, especially when they meet team members from different time zones or different cultures”.

For us, this speech seems very interesting as it shows us that the future will birth new solutions to meet the needs of this new wave of hybrid work. Downtown offices and coworking solutions will not suffice, and this definitely gives space for new models of coliving spaces specialized for remote teams.

Panel – Productivity Measurement of Co-located vs Remote Teams

Panelists: Jenny He, Founder & CEO @ Ergeon; Dart Lindsley, Strategic Advisor, People Experience @ Google; Michael Cockburn, CEO & Co-Founder @ Desena; & Rosie Sargeant, Project Leader @ Boston Consulting Group

April 23rd, from 11:40 to 12:20 local time, after the first break and networking while refueling with coffee and sandwiches, we will be back at the Radical stage to attend a panel discussing a crucial point of the future of work—productivity.

We are looking forward to this systematic discussion among global leaders on how they measure productivity and whether remote work shows more positive or negative results on productivity. 

Opinions have been changing throughout the years, but many think that productivity is actually increased with remote work. A typical struggle seem to be more on the side of the leaders and companies, who need to adapt by setting tools and work models that would support and measure productivity in a remote setting. 

With so many years of WFO models, models for measuring work seem to already be set in stone, but can they actually work in remote settings?

For leaders and companies, this might be the biggest challenge yet, as well as the most frequent disinclination towards giving their teams the flexibility to work remotely. However, if with time tools and models for leading, supporting, and measuring the productivity of remote teams become more available, will more companies and leaders feel confident to step their toes into those waters?

There is definitely something to think about there, and where better to dissect it than in a panel discussion made of industry leaders?

How different locations are attracting remote workers?

Another interesting perspective for us is the global trend of countries’ and cities’ goals to attract digital nomads. 

This is a very two-sided topic that can be perceived from both positive and negative perspective. On one hand, globalization and more flexibile borders are definitely a thing of today (and the future), not only from perspectives of knowledge-sharing that happens via international networks of travelers or foreigners in new places but also from the perspective of economic leverage of international talent that countries are tapping into.

However, on the other hand, where the borders open, gentrification comes in. Many countries have rushed to open their borders to generate more economic value only to pose economic challenges to their own people.

The idea of bringing (wealthier) people to countries that are facing economic challenges is a double-edged sword and the best approach on how countries can do it is something that is being tested in real-time and will take shape only in the future.

In general, if done carefully and by protecting the local habitants, bringing remote workers to the countries or cities that face challenges and low population, or just a decrease in popularity, definitely has a lot of benefits to it. 

With that said, we are glad to see a few topics close to this on this year’s RR, and here are the discussions we’ll definetly look into:

Impact of building the most successful remote work relocation program in the world

Speaker: Justin Harlan, Managing Director @ Tulsa Remote

At 12:20 – 12:50 on April 23rd, on the Deep Dive Stage, we will hear from Justin Harlan, the Managing Director of Tulsa Remote, a relocation program to Tulsa aimed at remote workers. 

This is a very interesting concept and definitely something that we will see more in the future—cities or countries creating special programs aimed at remote workers to enhance the local economy and reshape and modernize the local environment. 

In the past years, we have already been seeing countries such as Greece, Italy, and Switzerland, offering these programs aimed at populating rural areas with the decline of population, but we definitely expect to see more of these programs aimed at professionals and remote workers, such as Tulsa Remote. 

What is especially interesting is not the program itself but the infrastructure and the community of remote workers that will reshape the city. It will be very interesting to see what Tulsa Remote is offering beyond the 10000 USD incentive and how this is expected to change the city in the future. 

The program has already attracted around 3000 remote workers who moved to Tulsa and contributed more than $560 million to the local economy.

We’re very excited to hear Justin speak about this program and the impact that is already being generated from it.

How to enable your next remote experience in Buenos Aires?

Speaker: Mauro Alejo Guevara, Director of Int’l Relations @ Visit Buenos Aires

From 16:10 – 16:40 on April 24th, on the Radical Stage, we will join the speech from Mauro Alejo Guevara, Director of International Relations at Visit Buenos Aires. 

Last year, we also tuned it for the speech from Visit Buenos Aires and learned some things about the city and what makes it attractive for digital nomads. 

This year, we expect the focus to be more on the possibilities for remote workers and companies to visit or settle in Buenos Aires, as well as the infrastructure that makes this city a true hub for remote workers. 

There are many other speeches we are looking forward to but we’ll leave those for real-time reactions and a post-conference summary. 

What speeches have you written down in your schedule and what are you looking to get from this year’s Running Remote?

The post Getting ready for Running Remote 2024: Sessions We’re Most Excited About appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

Famous Cactus Coliving from Tenerife received a younger sibling in its smaller neighbor La Gomera.

When Maria, Cactus Coliving’s owner invited us to check out the new space, we were very excited to see 2 things we already knew well from completely different perspectives – 

1. La Gomera (the island we visited 2 years ago collaborating with a pop-up coliving organized by Awid Aman)
2. Cactus Coliving – one of the first colivings we visited when we started our coliving journey, back in 2022.

After more than 2 weeks in Cactus La Gomera – we are leaving full of impressions and definitely with another perspective.

Discover how it went!

Cactus’s new Location: San Sebastián de La Gomera

First of all, we want to say that we completely understand why Maria decided to open her second location here. 

With its charming city and port, and amazing volcanic beaches just a 5-minute walk from the house, it’s an ideal spot. It’s also convenient to reach, as it’s less than a 1-hour ferry ride from Tenerife South.

While La Gomera offers a nice opportunity for everyone to relax and slow down, which is a common motivation for people choosing this island, we were pleasantly surprised by San Sebastian.

Despite its small size, it’s surprisingly full of life!

Of course, the community we met through Cactus also made that life a bit brighter. 

But first, let’s tell you more about the coliving. 

The Cactus House

History

The new Cactus house is a former hostel created in a building of a former school. The photos cannot really capture its charm and how fun and whimsical all the corners of the house are. 

While it’s a bit sad that its charm cannot be fully seen through videos or photographs, it also gives you a special gift when you arrive, as this space becomes a treasure only those who share it truly see it. 

There are traces of the house’s “past lives” all over the place – the practicality and organization of a hostel, and a shelter-like ambiance of a school. 

We believe all places and buildings carry their history forever, and we’d like to think that the energy that has been created throughout the years of this building’s existence is still around, helping the coliving blossom in its purpose. 

A school left behind the energy of knowledge, deep connections, community, and learning about the world, and the hostel left its own energy full of adventure, exploration, and courage that follows the travelers. If you think about it – mixed together, those two energies are exactly what makes a coliving. 🙂

And maybe this is one of the reasons why this house makes so much sense. 

Space

As we said, it’s hard to imagine this interesting building, and we’ll leave that magic to your imagination – at least until you arrive and see for yourself, but what we can share is the functionality aspect of the space.

The one-story house is quite spacious and actually one of the largest coliving spaces we’ve been to. With 14 rooms in total, including both private and shared ones, it can accommodate more than 25 people at its full capacity.

Because of its corners, hallways, and different rooms, the coliving space offers a good balance of private and common areas with most of the common areas being located on the ground floor, including the coworking space, kitchen, living room, and the garden, so the top floor is relatively isolated from daily activities.

Top floor and private areas

This is not the first coliving we’ve been to that has this setup of a top floor being secluded from the common areas, but it has only confirmed once again that it is definitely one of the setups we like the most.

In a place such as a coliving, designed for mid to long stays, having an isolated “bedroom” area is extremely valuable when living with a group as you can pick your level of social engagement by choosing one location over another. 

In Cactus La Gomera, the upper floor does not only offer privacy and seclusion from the common areas, but the old school’s long and narrow hallways that take up the most space on the top floor don’t really encourage long chit-chats in it, which further creates the balance of privacy and social life and amplifies the purpose of common areas on the ground floor.

Furthermore, the long hallway is blessed with windows all along the yard side, which allows an easy way to peek out and check if there are people outside and join if you feel like it. 

Additionally, the house is equipped with numerous bathrooms, making it practically impossible to experience overcrowding. Most of them are located all the way down the hallway on the top floor, leaving a lot of privacy for people to use them. 

On the top floor, you will also find the washer and the drying balcony, as well as one tiny coworking section and the Skype room. But let’s talk about the working areas in the next part. 

Working in Cactus

Needless to say, coworking and working areas are a crucial part of any coliving space. This is especially true for coliving spaces that are located in rural areas or cities that are not very digital nomad-friendly. 

When the town or a city has a bunch of cafes to work from or even some external coworking spaces, the colivings can leverage those spaces and create a relationship between them and their colivers, giving colivers places to work from undisturbed outside the house.

But, if the location does not really have suitable working spaces around, then a coliving needs to provide this space. 

Luckily, this is not Maria’s first coliving space, and she certainly spent a lot of thought and care on the coworking areas both in her Tenerife place and in this one in La Gomera.

Cactus Tenerife definitely has 2 of the best coworking spaces integrated in a coliving that we have seen (yes, they have 2 very spacious coworking spaces inside the house), but Cactus La Gomera is also not far behind. 

The working and coworking spots

Although smaller than the Tenerife one, the main coworking space in Cactus La Gomera easily accommodates 10-12 people and also offers the use of external monitors for an additional fee (2€/day).

The space is also conveniently located on the ground floor in a garden room, so it allows an easy switch from working inside to working outside and vice-versa.

There is also an additional coworking desk on the top floor for those who are looking for more privacy, and if that is not private enough for you, you can always work from your bedroom since each room is equipped with an ensuite desk, or book a Skype room for your calls and meetings. 

Besides the main coworking area, of course, you will find many work-friendly spots around the house. And of course, with the Canarian weather, the yard is reasonably one of the favorite spots for everything – working as well. 

There are 3 different tables (smaller or bigger, in the shade, or the sun), a hammock, and 8 lazy bags that people can choose to work from (which they typically do). 

The beloved garden (yard)

The yard is definitely the heart of Cactus La Gomera. It is shaded by two large mango trees, providing perfect cover during hot hours.

With many different corners, it’s where most people spend their days, whether working in one of the spots or simply enjoying the sun, relaxing in the hammock, or reading a book in the bean bag.

This is also the place where Cactus hosts family dinners.

When the time came, every Wednesday, we would put the tables together at the center of the garden, decorate, bring out the wine, and turn on the tiny yellow lamps to make an ambiance. Then we would sit all together to have dinner, enjoying the lovely La Gomerian nights.

Of course, some nights, it would be windy, but the garden is so much loved, that people would just put on their sweatshirts and still sit around and chit-chat. 

Like the one in Tenerife, this Cactus also has a ping-pong table that’s always shaded, providing a great mid-work activity to boost your energy a bit. 🙂 

Cactus La Gomera Team

The Cactus team in La Gomera is a special one. As Maria is on a different island, her visits cannot be as usual as in Cactus Tenerife. But that is not a problem, since, like in Cactus Tenerife, there is a great team who takes care of the house and the community. 

In this coliving, you will meet Rebeca – the community manager of Cactus La Gomera, and her team of 3 volunteers who are there to take care of the day-to-day.

But – who is Rebeca?

Let’s meet her. 🙂

Local Host: Rebeca

Rebeca is originally from Galicia, but in the eyes of locals, she has already proven herself as one of their own. After years of living in La Gomera, Rebeca definitely found a part of her soul there. She is not only living a life there but sharing her passion for the island with those who come to visit. Working as a tour guide for the island, she’s the best person to tell you all its secrets. 

We actually met Rebeca 2 years ago during our last visit to the island and yes – she was our tour guide. Her passion, dedication, and positive energy shine and infect those around her. 

So when we found out that Maria chose her to be the host of her new La Gomera experience, it absolutely made sense to us.

Even though she doesn’t live in the new Cactus house, she is there for all the important activities and is always ready to share new pieces of La Gomera’s culture and history with anyone whom she crosses paths with. 

We learned so much from her. For example, on the first day of our stay, we had the opportunity to learn how to make traditional La Gomerian soup, as well as the most popular Canarian dishes, mojo rojo and mojo verde in a workshop that she led.

We also learned a lot about the Laurel woods in La Gomera, the story of Gara and Jonay, the reason why Germans love this island so much, and the peculiar whistling language of La Gomerians. 

With all that said, with the energy she has, the passion for this island, and the knowledge she loves to share, Rebeca really seems like the perfect fit for a first coliving space in San Sebastian de La Gomera. 

Volunteers

Other than Rebeca, you will always find 2 to 3 volunteers who are living in the Cactus house, taking care of the space, and making sure your stay is good. 

During our time there, we met some amazing girls who were working as volunteers at the time. 

We met Maryam – a volunteer who has been with Cactus La Gomera from the start. She was there to witness all the changes and challenges of opening a coliving space and grew to be a very big part of it. 

We met Sara – an ambitious Italian girl with a passion for sustainability and nature conservation, with whom we shared a lot of great talks and will definitely stay in touch. 

And we met Marissa – a quirky adventurous girl full of soul who brings the party with her wherever she goes. Even though she came a bit after us and has only been in Cactus for a few weeks, she will definitely grow into the heart of the community very soon. 

Activities

As with every coliving, Cactus La Gomera is slowly building its signature activities but that will take some time. 

Of course, recurring weekly activities are always there, such as daily yoga (usually organized by Cactus volunteers), family dinners, and Monday pancakes, and there is a lot of space for organic activities hand-picked by current colivers.

During our stay, in addition to regular activities, some things we had the opportunity to experience were drone flying lessons organized by one of the colivers, Michael, the mojo workshop that we already mentioned, and a few movie nights and family dinners outside the house that were fan favorites.

Of course, we also lead our own skillshare on SEO. 🙂

We cannot wait to see in which direction Cactus La Gomera will develop and what unique activities will become its signature ones. 

The community we found in Cactus La Gomera

Lastly, during our stay, we had the opportunity to meet some amazing people. Despite April being a slower season in La Gomera, there were around 8-12 people (including volunteers) at the house.

The community comprised digital nomads, long-term travelers, La Gomera enthusiasts (mostly Germans – as expected 😀), and individuals who had already experienced the original Cactus location in Tenerife South and wanted to check out the new space.

Most people we met stayed between 2 weeks and one month, while volunteers tended to stay for up to 3 months. Many of them were working remotely, but all were passionate about exploring new places and sharing a bit of time in their lives with other like-minded individuals. 🙂

We encourage you to check out the new Cactus place yourself. There is something beautiful about visiting a young coliving space as there is always space to leave your mark behind. We bet you will fall in love with the tranquility of the island and find a bit more time to get to know yourself in the slow-paced environment.

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Learn more about coliving

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Discovering San Sebastian de La Gomera with Cactus Coliving’s New House

• ByMarko
• March 26, 2024

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

The post Coliving Spain 2024: #11 Cactus Coliving Has Arrived to the Capital of La Gomera appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

But some colivings were already long-standing even before we stepped our toes in these waters, paving the path for many others to come and building the values upon which the industry is standing today.

Two years and nine colivings later – The 10th Coliving Spain project partner was one of those colivings; one of the oldest colivings in Spain – Sun and Co.

While colivings are still just becoming, Sun and Co. has already passed through phases of emergence, growth, popularization, and change, and its life cycle continues to be an example for younger businesses.

And now, 2 years since The Coliving Spain Project was born, and has already gone through some of its own phases, we think it was the perfect moment in time for us to finally meet Sun and Co.

This February, for a month, we had the chance to get to know Sun and Co. from the inside out; to witness the changes happening in real-time; to hear the stories from old and new colivers; to help the new team more confidently take its place; and to be a part of the amazing international system Sun and Co. helped built in a small Mediterranean city overlooking Costa Blanca.

The People Behind Sun and Co. Team

Each step in Sun and Co.’s life carries a footprint of the people involved in crafting the experience, and all that makes Sun and Co. what it is today, carries all those phases and people who left their contributions along the way.

Back in 2023, we had the opportunity to talk about Sun and Co.’s beginning and the vision behind it with one of its co-founders Jon.

And this year, we had the opportunity to meet some old and some new faces of Sun and Co., who all at one moment gave a tiny bit of themselves to make this place such a valuable part of many digital nomads’ and remote workers’ lives.

Sun and Co.’s new team

In September of 2023, after 8 years of existence, Sun and Co.’s core team changed its shape, opening the doors to a new chapter of the experience.

Today, the new management team is made up of Edu, Fer, Ana, and Nana, who all bring a part of themselves into the community.

• Edu keeps running the place and keeping it in line with the values that were there at the beginning, and ultimately, who chose the perfect new management for its creation.
• Fer is the bridge between the old and the new team; a local host and the new general manager; and a person who shines positive energy around him and brings his passion for local, fresh, and healthy food… to the table. 😉
• Ana (with one N) – curious, dedicated, persistent, and experienced in living in communities and creating them; with a Ph.D. in nutrition and a sacred view of how important self-care is, Ana is a positive community builder and a tireless learner who brings mindfulness and peace to the house.
• Nana (Anna with the double N) – a positive and warm soul who draws people to her; a passionate yoga teacher and a dedicated host; one of those people whose presence is an ice-breaker, a community glue whose positive energy and laughter gives color and make experiences unforgettable. 

Well…we hope you meet them yourself, but if you’re still curious to find out more about New Sun and Co. Management Team and their views on the new era of Sun and Co., we invite you to check out our interview with them at the beginning of our collaboration.

Now, let’s talk about the location.

Jávea 

There is something about Javea.

At first glance, this is a charming Mediterranean town like many others, but there is an energy that draws you in and that quickly makes you want to stay.

Of course, many clear reasons make Javea a place where many can feel at home – an ecosystem suitable for modern, international residents; a great location; and a community full of inspiring and admirable people.

Nonetheless, Javea has a certain energy about it  – something that just makes us fall in love with it – just by sitting in the sun and sipping on a coffee while people watch on one of its tiny squares.

We won’t take too much space here describing the town, although there is so much to tell. If you want to dive a bit deeper, we invite you to read this article we wrote for Sun and Co..

It talks about all the big and little things that make Javea the perfect city for people like us – curious, looking for valuable communities, and always ready for new opportunities to grow and learn. 

The Coliving Space

Of course, like in any coliving, Sun and Co.’s house plays an important role in its coliving community.

So what is it like? Let me try and paint you a picture:

Imagine a big wooden door opening to a huge colorful entrance; it feels like a ballroom. On each side, you will find silent rooms – sit there if you want to work or brainstorm.

Up front, you will find a cozy living room for evening board games and a huge dining area for all the weekly dinner parties you will experience with windows overlooking the patio that sometimes sparks with a late bonfire. This is where the people are: this is where you can start that conversation.

If you want a more intimate atmosphere, a late-night movie, a deep conversation, or a quick meditation, head straight to the chill room – the one with cozy floor cushions and dimmed lights.

And when you’re tired and need your space – just go up the stairs to your peaceful bedroom, a sanctuary that’s out of reach for anybody but you and your roommates.

That is what living at Sun and Co. looks like.

But what does it mean to be a part of the Sun and Co.’s community? 

Sun and Co.’s Community

The community of Sun and Co. is actually quite different from some other colivings we experienced.

There is a mix of people from all around the world, but there is a certain thread that connects them (us) all; a character feature or a life decision that makes people join under the roof of Sun and Co’s community.

People who we met in the past few months were all brave, bold, and not scared to take a leap; people ready to take their lives into their own hands and make their own destinies. Different ages; different backgrounds; different struggles; but a shared willingness to live and create.

Sun and Co’s community has around 25 people in the high season, and 15-20 in the lower one.

This community consists of staff members, colivers, and community pass members.

However, many people stay a part of the wider community even after becoming one of the above. People often stay in Javea, or just stay in touch, meeting each other in other parts of the world and continuing their shared experiences that started in Sun and Co. 

Community Pass

Community pass members are those living outside of the coliving. The community pass access allows you to work from Sun and Co.’s external coworking space and be a part of the community activities (which are Sun and Co.’s biggest strength).

The community pass members are typically those who come for a longer time to Javea and need space for themselves; those who come with friends or families; and those who were once a part of the coliving community and decided to move their life to Javea, at least for a while, so they settled in the town.

However, many people met Sun and Co. through its coworking space.

Located in the old town, in such a perfect spot, designed to facilitate and inspire work and with 2 Skype booths available, it’s not surprising that many people choose the community pass for the coworking space and stay for the community.

The community pass members can be a part of the community as much as they’d like. Some just come to work and spend time with the community here and there; and others are there daily making the core members of the community even without living inside the house.

But typically, those who have the community pass try to make the most out of it because missing out on the Sun and Co.’s community activities is not something many would do!

Community building 

If you’ve heard about Sun and Co., then you’ve heard about their activities.

Their community experience is definitely the most famous for its impeccable program full of professional and personal development activities and events that encourage connection and growth.

Many colivings take inspiration from Sun and Co. but Sun and Co. remains the leading coliving when it comes to the elaboration and quality of its program.

Because of this status, many people decide to join the community so they can work on themselves and meet other inspiring people whom they can learn from. And by attracting creative, entrepreneurial, and proactive individuals, Sun and Co. truly offers a unique opportunity to be surrounded by great minds who are ready to share bits of their knowledge and life with you.

So, here’s an inside into the Sun and Co.’s community program.

Program Overview

Sun and Co.’s schedule is adapted to one week. Each week, a new round of activities and events gets chosen by the community and makes its way to the weekly plan.

In one typical day, there will be 2 to 3 activities, a mix between social, professional, and leisure activities. This distribution is not fixed, but some recurring things happen weekly, such as yoga with Nana, a visit to Fer’s community garden, family dinners, and the community meeting. 

Community Meeting

A community or family meeting is a meeting that happens every Monday night intending to introduce new family members, share a bit more about the individuals that make up the community, and of course, plan the week ahead.

Each Monday, there is a different “introduction” question – something to help new family members meet the rest of the group and vice versa, but also for those who are there longer to give some new interesting perspective about themselves.

These short introductions also serve as icebreakers for a great weekly planning sesh. 

Weekly planning

Weekly planning consists of 2 parts.

The first part is the “Collaboration board”. This is a shared sheet where everybody writes what they can share with the group, what they’d like to learn during their stay at Sun and Co., and what they’d like to do. This serves as an inspiration and prep for the community meeting.

You can write on the Collaboration board at any given time, but at the community meeting, you will always get a chance to add something that you might have forgotten.

After all the things are added to the collaboration board – it’s voting time. The group votes for activities they’d like to attend and the 3-4 most voted activities make their way onto the weekly plan for the next week. 

This system works well because each group can tailor the experience to their liking. 

Social and leisure activities also go on the weekly schedule, but they get up there more spontaneously and are not voted for. 

So, what are these professional and personal development activities that Sun and Co. is so famous for? 

Types of activities 

There are 5-6 different types of activities depending on the structure and the model. 

Masterminds

Mastermind sessions are one of the most beloved activity models among Sun and Co.’s community and they’ve helped many people find guidance, and confidence, and kickstart their next life chapters. 

This is because this model is focused on one community member who has an issue, an idea, or needs help and brainstorming around anything in his or her life. This can be a professional venture such as starting a new business, or a personal one such as guidance on how to improve one’s relationships. 

This is typically a 1-hour session, facilitated by one of the staff members and made up of 3 parts:

1. The first part focuses on the person whose mastermind it is to share the issue, and the background, and give their perspectives. The facilitator helps this person find concrete questions and expected outcomes of the mastermind. The facilitator also typically has a conversation with that person even before the mastermind to understand their needs and plan on how to guide them.
2. The second part focuses on questions from the participants. So, in this part, people would ask questions to further clarify the issue, the obstacles, and the needs of the presenter.
3. The third part is the “brainstorming” together; sharing ideas, advice, or personal experience that can help the presenter gain new perspectives on their issue.

This approach is an amazing opportunity for individuals to get some new ideas and broaden their perspectives on matters that are important to them. 

And coliving is a great setting for this as it is one of the few places where so many different people with unique experiences and backgrounds find themselves in the same room. 

And of course, although this session focuses on one person’s problem, thinking together and listening to others gives everybody new perspectives and generates value for all participants. 

Sharing circles

Sharing circle is a bi-weekly activity introduced with the new team. This activity is led by Ana, who has been a part of many sharing circles before and has tested out different approaches and methods. 

Because it’s such a deep-connection activity that asks for the participants to be grounded, and look deep into themselves, it made the most sense that it would happen once every two weeks. 

Before each session (on the Monday meeting) Ana shares the topic for the upcoming sharing circle and invites community members to think about the topics and some specific questions upfront. This is not mandatory as the conversation in the sharing circle should be natural and from the heart, but it’s good to give a bit of guidance and set expectations. 

Even though they last around an hour, sharing circles opens the room for more conversations and connects the people on another level. This experience always helps community members feel more comfortable around one another and feel more connected to each other moving forward.

Skillshares

A skillshare is a model in which one person who has expertise to share with others, either professional or life-related, prepares a presentation (according to their liking) to introduce the participants to the topic and help them gain new knowledge.

Mostly, skillshares are based around something narrow and clear and are made for the participants to be one step closer to understanding and developing a new skill. 

While we were at Sun and Co., we had skillshares on storytelling, writing, and SEO (this one was done by us), but also ones focused more on personal development such as the skillshare on ayurvedic nutrition or personality types.

People come with different jobs, hobbies, and interests, and it is extremely interesting to see what everyone has to offer. 

A skillshare is the most structured activity because it resembles a presentation or a class, but it is also the one that gives the most concrete information on a certain topic and generates the most hard knowledge. 

Roundtables 

Roundtables are typically something in between skillshares, mastermind, and sharing circles. 

Roundtables typically come from somebody proposing something they would like to discuss with others to gain new perspectives.

For example, we had a roundtable on freelancing and roundtables on relationships and love, so these are typically topics that a lot of people have input on and can share their views on. 

Roundtables are about sharing experiences and thoughts, but they can also be about sharing inspiration, motivating each other, or adding some new value. 

These sessions are not facilitated. The “host” is typically the one who proposes the roundtable and they are responsible for drafting topic guidance, some questions, and some points that the roundtable should cover, with which Sun and Co.’s team can always help. 

Support board and 1-on-1

Lastly, when some activities have only one or 2 people interested in them, or when a person is asking for help in a certain area but others don’t seem interested, they can have a 1-on-1 session with a person willing to help or share expertise. 

To further support that, Sun and Co. also has a Support Board, which is right next to the weekly plan in the dining area, where people can write in things they need support with, and people who can and want to help them can reach out to them directly. 

Social and Leisure Activities

Of course, on top of the above-mentioned activities, each day there is a Social and/or Leisure activity.

Some of the most popular recurring activities like these are yoga and meditation sessions that happen every week, hikes that are a beloved weekend activity of many community members, family dinners that always bring a new level of connection to the group, and games, movies nights, nights-out to the town, and many other creative social activities that come and go with the groups changing. 

A tiny recap of our month at Sun and Co.

After a month in Sun and Co., we have seen 2-3 group dynamics changing. We had 15 people in the house, then 6, then 10, then again below that.  We had people going and coming, and all bringing their personalities to the community completely reshaping it.

It is so interesting how one person can bring something with them that has such an impact on how we develop as a group. And with each group – there was something that became a signature of that period.

We had sunrise swims with Alice; a new cake every day with Stephanie, unforgettable karaoke with Ania, late-night conversations with Shlomo, peaceful days and movie nights with Naja, and not-so-peaceful hikes with Bjorn, daily Italian cuisine with Manu, coffee talks with Tal, and of course, the werewolf nights with Serghei, and many many moments more that all went down in history and gave a bit of reshaping to the coliving’s community.

This experience taught us how much impact we all carry as individuals, and how valuable the footprint we leave behind us truly is. 

Thank you Sun and Co. for a wonderful month – and please, keep creating the space for these wonderful human connections!

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Learn more about coliving

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Sun and Co. – Embracing The New Chapter

• ByMarko
• February 4, 2024

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Sun and Co. (Part 1) – 8 years of Hosting, Learning, and Community-building in Javea

• ByMarko
• April 4, 2023

The post Coliving Spain 2024: #10 Sun and Co – The Coliving that Shaped The Industry appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

As you might know, for this initiative, we decided to take it slow and visit only two coliving spaces that were just starting their coliving journey. Still, we chose two completely different colivings to show you different sides of this movement – and we think we chose them perfectly. 

After Madrid and a month of balancing between the metropolitan and suburban life, taking in the best of both worlds, we flew right into the center of digital nomads in Canaria, to continue taking the best of both worlds – the world of digital nomads and the local community we found ourselves in. 

If you haven’t checked the article we wrote after the first coliving from this initiative – Coliving Madrid – we invite you to do that, and if you did, let’s get right into our month half stay in Eco Isleta Coliving, the first sustainable coliving in La Isleta, Las Palmas.

Disclaimer: This piece of content may contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase or book through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Las Palmas – The Canarian Capital of Digital Nomads and Remote Workers

Eco Isleta’s convenient location in one of Europe’s leading digital nomad hubs makes it a promising place to find community and connect with others. 

Like all big cities, with around 400 thousand people, Las Palmas is a colorful and lively place where you will not lack the opportunity to meet new people. 

However, Las Palmas is not just another city on an island or just another European metropolitan. Las Palmas is a European capital dressed in a coastal paradise on an archipelago deep in the Atlantic Ocean, which perfectly merges three completely different groups of people – the locals who love the city in a way only islanders do, the tourists who love good food, crisp water, and sipping cocktails on the beach, and digital nomads who seek adventure, community, and modern infrastructures.

Somehow, Las Palmas answers the needs of all these three groups, letting them cohabitate and enrich each other’s lives. 

The city can be as wild or as shy as you want it, as international or as local as you want it, and as busy or as calm as you want it. Sometimes, it seems like three cities in one. And even though it is not as big, it does stretch along the coast, allowing it to have distinct areas that all carry individual vibes. 

To live in the old town is quite different than to live close to the city beach, which gives its visitors and residents a choice based on what they’re looking for. 

In Eco Isleta’s case, the location is right there in the epicenter of the digital nomad activity – in the upper part of the city called La Isleta – a neigborhood equipped with all you need, full of live and happenings, but also rich in quit corners.

What is interesting is thatm even though this area is extremely popular with digital nomads and even tourists due to its proximity to the city beach, it is still a very local neighborhood that takes great pride in its people and traditions.

Eco Isleta Brand

Eco Isleta is not only a coliving but rather a sustainability brand and ecosystem owned and operated by Jonatan and Rita, a local couple who spent their whole lives in the neighborhood. 

Before opening the coliving space, Jonatan and Rita had already opened Eco Store La Isleta, the first locally owned small eco store in the area. 

Their store focuses on high-quality, healthy products, from snacks and sweets to vegetables and olive oil, but also on eco home and personal care products such as washing detergent, dishwashing soap, and shampoos they sell on tap. 

All things that Jonatan and Rita brought to life through the Eco Isleta brand had two things in mind – what the name also states – the eco, sustainable way of life, and La Isleta, their beloved neighborhood. 

The vision started with a blog, Conoce La Isleta, which was meant to tell a story of this old area from the local perspective. Many people pass through the neighborhood not stopping to think about its history, the people who live there, their stories, struggles, and in the end, the things they love and cherish the most.

After some time of being inspired by their own stories of La Isleta, Jonatan and Rita decided to offer even more and open an Eco Store that will sell local products and, more importantly, promote a healthy, responsible, and eco way of life.  

With a family house they owned in the neighborhood, Jonatan and Rita first hosted an Airbnb, however, with the birth of coliving spaces, they saw a bigger opportunity to promote their values and vision, and do something more significant for the area. That’s how Eco Isleta Coliving came to life in November of 2022.

Jonatan – The Local Coliving Host

In all colivings, the host is one of the most important elements of the experience. So, when the host understands that and knows how to use his or her role to make a balanced and inspiring environment, the colivers can thrive.

In Eco Isleta’s case, the host’s perspective is on point. The role belongs to Jonatan, who does not live in the coliving (but very close by) and who comes in daily or bi-daily to check in on the place, add more amenities, clean up, fix or improve something, or set the place up for an event.

However, all these visits have a much bigger value because of Jonatan’s charismatic and extroverted personality. He always comes in smiling from ear to ear, looking forward to a chat with his colivers, hearing about their day, and often diving in a meaningful conversation.

As a family-owned business, Jonatan and Rita, with the help of their two kids, manage the coliving and the store by themselves. So, everything that happens and everything you see is a product of their hands, effort, and imagination. 

As a host, Jonatan is not only responsible for managing the house but also for organizing events in the coliving – which are PLENTY – but we’ll come back to that a bit later.

What makes him shine among other owners is his curiosity and constant wish to learn more, improve, and research. We have met a lot of decidated owners througn our Coliving Spain joruney so far, but Jonatan s one of the most dedicated ones we’ve met.

Lastly, Jonatan proudly and bravely takes on the role to be the educator and promoter of a healthier, more eco-friendly way of life, and does it without any judgment. He is just happy to show you better ways and lets you decide if you want to implement them or not – no pressure and no strings attached.

The Coliving

Eco Isleta Coliving is a very unique house with a big soul. The way it looks today was certainly not how the house was originally built or imagined but Jontan and Rita worked on it to convert it and repurpose it in order to maximize its potential. 

The house was originally built for two families back in the day, providing common and private areas both on the ground and the first floor, but today, it’s a cohesive unit centered around one set of common areas upstairs with private rooms on the ground floor.

When you walk in, you will be welcomed by a small hallway with a wooden vanity, an information board, a couple of bikes, and some inspiring coastal decoration. You will also immediately see a small window at the end of the hallway looking at the stairs covered in natural light. This part of the house was a patio but, now, when the outdoor space is occupying most of the first floor, the patio has been converted into a bright hallway. 

All private rooms are on the ground floor, except one that is actually a tiny wooden hub on the rooftop, so let’s take a close look at the rooms, shall we?

Private rooms

Private rooms in Eco Isleta are simple, cozy nooks, with original walls, and handmade furniture. There are seven rooms for seven Canary Islands, each one carrying the name of one of the islands.

All rooms are equipped with a bed (standard or double, except for some that are single only), an open closet (we loved ours!), a nightstand, and a working station with a night lamp. All rooms also have unique art from a local artist that represents the urban and the local soul of the island. Most rooms on the ground floor are blessed with super high ceilings, making even small rooms feel big.

All the rooms (except the upstairs one) share two bathrooms – one downstairs and one upstairs. 

What is great is that the downstairs bathroom is that it is truly only for the colivers, because when events happen, they happen upstairs, so all the rooms below are (unofficially) kept private from the guests. 

Every room has something unique, like this one with a bed in mezzanine or another one with the original stone wall. 

The room on the rooftop is the only one with a private bathroom – La Gomera. Simple and isolated from other rooms, it is like a small cozy cabin with its own nightly views of the herb garden. 

Also, all the rooms are pretty private in the sense of sound isolation so people can have different routines and not be bothered by others. 

We stayed in room Fuerteventura and we enjoyed it very much. But what we enjoyed the most are the common areas, so let’s get into that.

Common areas

As we mentioned, in Eco Isleta Coliving most of the common areas are on the rooftop. There is a small lounge area in the sector before the stairs on the ground floor but it is not frequently used as the upstairs spaces are much more conveinet.

The upper floor of the coliving is amazing. It’s divided into 3 sections – the inside kitchen/coworking area, the outside coworking/chill area, and a more private/chill area on the upper section of the rooftop next to the upper private room. 

The sections outside are perfect for sunbathing and events with larger groups, especially the kind of events that often happen in Eco Isleta.

There are also quite a few spots outside that you can use to have a more private work corner in the morning or evenings until it gets sunny. But, in general, the rooftop is very spacious and allows you to choose a spot based on your mood, although, when there are no events, the outside areas typically mean somebody wants to chill alone and not be bothered. Why? Because all the socializing happens in the kitchen/coworking area and now let’s get into that!

Kitchen and Main Coworking area

The main social area is also the main working area and – surprisingly – it works really well. Often, when a coliving space doesn’t have a clearly separated space for work and social life, it can get tough to get around and establish boundaries. But, in Eco Isleta, it works perfectly.

The reason for that is probably that the space is organized in such a way that despite its size, it has structural corners that align with the natural movement of people. The cooking area is in the corner with a window overlooking the opposite side of the roof and the (now closed) patio. 

At the entrance to this common space, and right across the cooking area, there are two big fridges with shelves assigned to each room, with a multipurpose table in front of them, that is most often used for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Even though there are not any strict rules for that, it just follows the natural structure of the room. 

In the opposite corner of the room is a sofa for nightly social chills or afternoon siestas, and in front of the sofa, two tables with 4 to 5 working spots. 

During the day, we would always gather around the tables and work together, and even when somebody goes a few steps away to the kitchen area to make breakfast or cook lunch, they are never distributing those who were working. 

And even if there are more people or a conversation going on and you have an important meeting, all the rooms are equipped with space to work and a good connection, so you always have an alternative.

There was something very special about the energy in this space that it just worked at every moment of the day. 

In the morning, whoever wakes up first would make coffee for all of us, and then, when by one, people would emerge and be welcomed with a fresh cup of energy. 

In the afternoons, we would often gather around the tables, put some music on, and work each on our laptops, joking in between, playing games or quizzes, and helping each other through the day.

In the evenings, we would gather around a board game or just sit together around the tables, talking, joking, and having a beer or two. 

In a way, this space became the perfect representation of what remote workers are missing without an office job – a community, colleagues, and somebody to share the burden of work and a smile in between, and at the same time, it also became a place where people come together after work, to play and socialize

So, even though we always suggest colivings to divide the work area from the social area if they can, and especially from the kitchen area, in Eco Isleta’s case – it just works.

Community

And then, we come to the most important part – the community. 

As a smaller coliving, with no host living in the house, the community grows close together pretty quickly. There is a strong family feeling, but not from the cliche “we are a family” perspective, but from the perspective of a real raw family.

When you’re in the house, you can be yourself, show your good and bad sides, be transparent and honest, and not pretend. You will meet your colivers as they are, and accept them, and you will build relationships with them that are unique to the two of you. No relationship will be the same, but still, you will all be a community. 

Outside of the house, in the sea of digital nomads, you will enjoy and meet hundreds of new people, but you will always know you have your nucelous community to come back to. You will always have somebody to go back home with or at least somebody you know you will see in the morning. 

Eco Isleta creates a very unique community that grows on you very fast and makes it much harder to leave it behind. 

As a coliver, you will probably rely a lot on this internal community, but through the coliving, you will also meet a much bigger community of remote workers and locals. How?

Well, Jonatan and his wife Rita care a lot about the community that surrounds them. They find it extremely important to connect the locals with digital nomads and see their coliving space as a tool or an environment where these valuable connections can spark. 

They use their coliving as a platform to introduce digital nomads to the local side of the city and the locals to the beauties that digital nomads bring with them. Let’s see how they do that.

Eco Isleta Weekly Events

One of the ways Jonatan and Rita use coliving to connect the local community and digital nomads is the weekly activities that happen in the coliving. 

They organize a variety of activities and events all focused on promoting the island, the city, Canarian culture, healthy lifestyle, cultural and language exchange, and, in the end, the importance of community and social connections.

Some of the events they organize are structured language exchange evenings, where the locals practice speaking in English and the foreigners speak in Spanish; family dinners with locally sourced, traditional, or international food, food workshops where they teach foreigners how to make that local food, educational workshops such as SEO seminars we held, or sustainability seminars they had in the past. 

In many of these activities and events, they collaborate with other local businesses such as a vegan restaurant or a local bakery, so with that collaboration, they can offer an amazing event to digital nomads while supporting a local SBO. 

These events are almost always open to all who are interested and posted in the biggest Slack group of digital nomads in Las Palmas – Live It Up Las Palmas, so very often, a lot of people show up. Some days, there are as few as 10 people, and others as many as 25-30.

What is impressive is that besides managing the coliving space, taking care of their family, and running an Eco Store, Jonatan, and Rita organize these events completely by themselves – preparing it all without any external support. Rita cooks the dinners and holds food workshops, and Jontatan facilitates the language and education workshops. 

This only shows how dedicated they are to the cause and how much they care for the value they offer, which is also something that elevates the colivings experience.

Local Contribution

Lastly, besides the events happening in the coliving, Jonatan and Rita also find opportunities to contribute to the local neighborhood. 

There are often different collaborations between the coliving and local businesses outside the coliving, such as free tours of the neigborhood or contributing to the local youth.

While we were in Eco Isleta, we had the opportunity to be a part of one of such initiatives. We went to the local high school and had a conversation with two classes about remote work and work opportunities in general, helping the kids understand their potential and talking about modern skills and where they can start to explore to learn these skills to set a better future for themselves. 

This was not the first nor the last visit to a high school organized by Eco Isleta, and it is certainly not the only initiative of this kind for the neighborhood because this is the true value and vision behind the Eco Isleta brand.

After a month and a half

A month and a half has passed. At the same time, we feel it flew by quickly and, that it was as long as a lifetime. All in all, we are extremely grateful for this experience and for meeting Jonatan, Rita, their kids, their coliving, and their neighborhood. 

We are leaving with great admiration towards their dedication and we’re excited to see what big things they will do next.

All we can say in the end is “Thank you, Eco Isleta, for showing us the real face of La Isleta, and teaching us what love of your neighborhood really means”. 

Hope to see you soon!

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Learn more about coliving

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

EcoIsleta Coliving – Sustainable Community in the Digital Nomad Center of Gran Canaria

• ByMarko
• May 23, 2023

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

The post Coliving Spain 2023: #9 Eco Isleta: Sustainable Coliving Community in Las Palmas appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

So, in that light, the first coliving for this third project initiative, and the first one in 2023, is a newly-opened, small community coliving located right in the heart of Spain – in Madrid.

When we first heard about Coliving Madrid, it was from a coliver we had previously met in another coliving space during the project initiative. He told us about his friend Lu, whom he met also in a coliving, and about his project Coliving Spain, a home for digital nomads right on the outskirts of Madrid.

We were immediately interested to hear more about Lu’s story so after some conversation and sharing of values and ideas, we decided for Coliving Madrid to be our first coliving destination this year. And today, we’re bringing you his story after a month spent in his space.

It’s not only the story, Lu’s background, and his values that attracted us to come here, but also the fact that his space can potentially become the first community-focused nomad coliving in Madrid.

As a big city, Madrid’s coliving scene was up until now mostly focused on residential colivings and student housing as that was the need the market had mostly seen. However, a lot of nomads are searching for a community-first nomad experience in the cities such as Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Sevilla, etc., so we were very excited to explore if this will finally be one of those places that will answer the needs of this type of audience.

After a month spent with Lu in his coliving space, we can say that his idea is promising, the concept has a big potential, and we believe that with effort and dedication, Coliving Madrid can succeed in becoming exactly that – the first community-focused coliving in the Spanish capital.

Here is how our stay went and what we loved about Coliving Madrid:

Disclaimer: This piece of content may contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase or book through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Concept

After exploring many coliving spaces, Lu knew what he wanted to create – a community. He was lucky enough to have had a property in Madrid at his disposal that he had been renting as an Airbnb for some time, so he decided to put his effort into the house and make a home for digital nomads and remote workers like himself, who would come to explore Madrid and the community for a few weeks to a few months.

Even when the place was only an Airbnb, Lu was unintentionally creating a community experience. His openness to meet new people, welcome them, and host them, is there with or without a coliving.

When speaking about the concept, Lu talks a lot about deep connections, real conversations, experience exchange, and an international community. This is something that is visible from entering the coliving and something that comes naturally to him as a host.

Nevertheless, Lu knows that’s not enough to make things happen, so he makes sure to explore activities and situations that would bring the group together and gather everybody around the same idea or a conversation.

His concept is still in the early phase as it officially opened only a month ago, but the progress and the value are already visible so we’re very excited to see where it will go.

Location

Lu’s space is located just about 15 km from Madrid, in a suburban neighborhood of this enormous city, called Rivas-Vaciamadrid.

This cute little neighborhood, or better to say a town, has around 85 thousand residents, living in tranquility and enjoying their peace and privacy. Most properties in Rivas-Vaciamadrid are multi-store houses with their own front and back yards, surrounded by greenery that protects you from the neighboring views.

This town is perfect for families, for children, for dog owners, but it’s also perfect for coliving.

Being close to Madrid, the colivers can enjoy all the fun, chaos, and opportunities of the capital (which we think everybody knows are plenty), but at the same time, they can enjoy the peace of a residential neighborhood that lets you take a breath, and live a slow and mindful life.

Rivas is close enough to Madrid to go whenever you want, but also far enough from it to not have to rely on going to the city to shop, have fun, or eat out. The suburbia has a few very big shopping malls, with loads of stores, restaurants, and supermarkets. From Coliving Madrid, everything is on a 5-minute car ride and there’s no need to go all the way to the center of Madrid when you need to shop. Moreover, there are a lot of outlets and discounted stores around, making it even better if you need new clothes or other things.

Most importantly, Coliving Madrid has a huge Mercadona supermarket right behind the corner, which makes everyday life easy.

Lastly, Rivas is very calm and green, with a lot of green areas to have a walk, go watch the sunset, enjoy some outdoor sports, etc. It’s the perfect town for a calm after-dinner walk with the colivers.

The House

Like many of the other houses in Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Lu’s place is a two-story home with beautiful big windows looking at the backyard.

The house came to be in Lu’s family many years ago. In fact, his parents bought it in pesetas. For a while it was sitting there, then it became an Airbnb, and now – it’s getting turned into a coliving. The space’s charm comes from its common areas, so let’s start from there.

Common Areas

It all starts with a big driveway and a small front yard right in front of the kitchen glass door. All the common areas of the coliving are on the ground floor which gives a bit more privacy to the top floors that are reserved for bedrooms.

The living room

When you enter, you will be welcomed by a spacious living room with the coziest cinema-like corner: a big corner sofa and a huge TV perfect for movie nights or presentations.

Next to the entertainment corner, there is a lonely spot with an armchair and a leg rest settled in front of the fireplace. This is a perfect spot for when you want to be in the company but not quite actively. You can snuggle up in a winter blanket reading a book, getting some casual work done, or having a glass of wine with your thoughts.

We can say that this big common space has 4 functions or corners – two that we described and two others are a dining area and a coworking spot.

The dining area is right next to the glass door that leads out to the backyard so it receives a lot of natural light, a fresh breeze, and the smell of flowers and plants outside.

This is where the family dinners often happen when the weather is not great to be sitting outside, but it’s also the spot for board game nights which are frequent.

The fourth part of the “living room” is the small coworking corner with two height-adjustable desks.

If you’re not there on time to take one, it’s fine – because there is also a portable laptop top table that you can use while sitting on the couch or the armchair. Because this is a common area, the rule is that one person at a time can have a call, but most people usually take calls at their working desks in their rooms.

The kitchen

The kitchen is the place where everybody gathers. A lot of family dinners, Sunday crepes, and Saturday barbecues mean a kitchen is a happy place in Coliving Madrid, where people often cook together.

Luckily, with an island in the middle, the kitchen is big enough for a few people to work on different things, which makes food prep a lot quicker.

Other than being the central area for food activities, the kitchen is the place where you will find the activity board of the coliving.

This is something Lu implemented (with our help) while we were there and it has proven to be very effective. Now people can have the activity schedule visible at all times which also helps new folks understand the concept and get a grasp of the community dynamics.

Other than that, the kitchen opens up to the front yard which might become a small garden in the future, but for now, it’s a table with a few chairs where people can chill while waiting for their food to be cooked, or even have the meal once it’s done.

The backyard

Possibly the biggest value of Coliving Madrid’s property is its backyard. And while the coliving can without a doubt work in an apartment, having a private outdoor area takes it to another level.

The small private garden in Coliving Madrid is a perfect place to have your breakfast in peace but also a perfect place for community events when the weather is nice. Right under the grape, on the terrace, there is a big wooden table with six chairs that serves as the area for breakfast, lunch, food parties, or just chilling, soaking up the sun, and having a drink.

This area is also connected to the driveway which becomes a spot for the pool in the summer. Other than that, the garden area is big enough to be a dance floor, for your dog to get zoomies, or simply for chatting with people at the party.

When a bigger event is happening, Lu takes the table and chairs and puts them on the grass area, adds two smaller tables and extra chairs and there’s a real party setting. Lastly, to complete it all, the garden comes with a barbecue place so it’s an absolute choice for every weekend.

The lawn area is natural, full of different colorful flowers and trees and it often attracts birds who you can hear singing the whole day.

And while we were there, Lu participated in a local eco initiative and received compost disposal from the town to put in the coliving, so all the organic waste now has a more ecological place in the compost in the corner of the garden.

The rooms

Coliving Madrid is a smaller coliving of 5 rooms, 3 on the first floor, and 2 on the second. What is great about this setting is that they are completely separated from the common areas, which gives a bit more privacy for when you want your time.

Two bedrooms on the first floor share a bathroom, and other rooms have their own, while one of the upper rooms is a shared room for 3 people. In its full capacity, Coliving Madrid will be able to receive up to 11 people which is a pretty decent size. At normal capacity, that number would most likely be between 7 and 9.

All the rooms are clean, simple, recently renovated and furnished, and fully equipped with everything needed for a comfortable long stay and work.

Also, each room has a desk and a chair and the shared room will probably have two working spaces. This makes work and life easy and flexible as it allows the colivers to choose if they want to work from their room or from the common areas.

Lastly, as Madrid is known to get crazy hot in the summer, all rooms will have air conditioning for a more comfortable stay.

The Host

Being a host is something some people have naturally in them. And Lu definitely does. He is very caring and can instantly become friends with his residents. He will greet and welcome you like a long-expected guest, introduce you to others, and help you feel at home.

As a coliving host, Lu is the heart and soul of the community. This means he brings in the energy, helps push the connections and relationships, acts as a person you can always lean on while in Coliving Madrid, and suggests and organizes events and activities.

Two nationalities and a unique approach to cultural exchange

Whether it’s his experience as a coliver himself, his own cultural mix, or a genuine interest in other people (or both), Lu puts a lot of focus on positive cultural exchange.

In most colivings, people talk about their cultures and backgrounds but there is not so much focus on diversity. In Lu’s place, sharing and comparing experiences, customs, languages, histories, etc. is very frequent and it works amazingly.

Lu was born in China to a Chinese family but moved with them to Spain when he was only 4 years old so he was brought up between two very proud and very colorful cultures – the Chinese and the Spanish.

Nevertheless, he grew up in Barcelona, meaning that he had been speaking 3 languages from an early age. Having these two cultures behind him – Spanish and Chinese (and Catalan), Lu approaches cultural differences with a light perspective and constantly reminds us that a fusion of different cultures can make amazing results.

Lu will lead by asking a question about one’s culture or simply pointing out an interesting fact he previously learned to other residents or community members and it will just instantly spark a conversation. Sometimes, even asking a taboo question takes away the barrier, makes the group laugh it off and connect, and helps us understand that not asking questions like these actually keeps us in the dark and the world of prejudice.

Because of this approach where the host cherishes hearing about the culture of each member, all members get interested in hearing about one another from this perspective, and the national or cultural characteristics become celebrated. Lu also often takes one thing from each culture or member and adopts it into practice and shares it with others.

Of course, in every international community, there will be a lot of cultural exchange, but as a host, it’s Lu’s superpower to unlock these talks and make us celebrate diversity every day and make a very heterogeneous group feel like a family in just a few hours.

Lu has been on the other side of the business

It’s always better if the product or service is offered by somebody who has been on the side of the customer. Lu didn’t wake up one day and decided to make a coliving space; he got inspired after times spent in coliving spaces and international communities as a resident.

Lu stayed in some of the most renowned spaces in Spain – such as Sun & Co. and Nine Coliving, where he learned what works and what doesn’t and how to build the community he always wanted, and made connections to help him along the way.

As he was on the visitor side of the business, Lu knows what things matter and how to make his residents happy.

With tricks and tips he learned from staying in colivings, Lu can experiment with how he will manage his space and choose among several solutions that are proven to work to find what works best for his place.

Lastly, Lu has a young spirit with lots of years of experience making him a versatile communicator and somebody who can connect with people of different ages and different backgrounds, which is aligned with the culture of coliving.

Community and the activities

With all the above in mind, it is time to talk about our experience of the community in Coliving Madrid and how it is built.

When Lu had the idea to build the coliving, he tried hard to learn how to build the community beforehand and acquired some valuable advice from people like Jon from Sun & Co., who’s known for his knowledge of community-building. But of course, every space is different, and unique ways and methods always get discovered along the way. So, Lu has experimented (and still does) with the knowledge he got along the way and his ways to create a unique community experience.

And we can confirm that he is slowly shaping his offering into a unique experience that will very soon have something that none other spaces have. If we were to guess, we would say it will be in the direction of the diversity we spoke about.

But, let’s see what activities and community-building happen in Coliving Madrid.

Food Culture

First, one of the characteristics of Coliving Madrid that stands out among others is the food culture. It’s well known that food always connects people, but it seems that in Coliving Madrid, food plays a big part in the experience. Not intentionally, but it’s undoubtedly there.

Every host unintentionally shapes the coliving experience with their own preferences and so does it happen here. Lu is a big foody himself and loves to cook and share meals with others. Both Chinese and Spanish cultures revolve a lot around shared meals and spending time and bonding over a meal, so it makes sense that this is what he loves to do.

He is also a great cook, and especially good when it comes to dumplings (I will still have dreams about them), and is very generous and selfless when it comes to sharing his resources.

The culture of sharing food in Coliving Madrid doesn’t revolve around hosting or showing off one’s cooking skills. It’s not there to impress and be flashy; it’s all about being humble, generous, and intentionally humane; cooking for others because you want to provide for them, and sharing your culture simply and genuinely, like you would with your family back home.

And then there’s the diversity part. Lu encourages others to share their recipes and show their culture through food and he keeps their cultural legacy by sharing it with others who come after them.

For example, the other day, we had Taco Day. We made tacos at home, followed a Mexican recipe, put on Mexican music, and shared what we all knew about Mexico, even though nobody was Mexican. It came spontaneously, but we enjoyed it very much and learned something new.

Or, if we’re talking about some food events that have become a regular thing in Coliving Madrid, we can speak about Saturday Asado – a typical way of preparing a barbecue in Argentina that got inspired by Lu’s Argentinian friends, or Sunday’s crepes, typical French-style pancakes, which is a custom started by Lu’s French friend and one of the first colivers.

Other than regular events, Lu is always up to explore new things to try – whether in a restaurant, like the time he took us on hotpot, or to try to make it at home, like the time we ate homemade arepas.

Every coliving has a food culture, but believe us when we say, in Coliving Madrid, there is something really special around it.

Community beyond the coliving

Another thing that makes Coliving Madrid different from typical colivings is who makes up the community.

Of course, the core community is always the colivers, but in many colivings, it often ends there. In Coliving Madrid, the community goes way beyond the coliving or, so to say, the coliving is a place where people from and outside the coliving gather and connect.

During semi-open events at the coliving, like the Saturday Asado, residents are encouraged to invite their connections in the city; ex-colivers or friends of colivers or ex-colivers are always welcome if they’re nearby and want to join.

After moving to Madrid, Lu attended a gathering for digital nomads in Madrid and has made some expat friends there who are now always welcome to join events like these.

For a small coliving like Lu’s, connecting the space and colivers with the outsiders from time to time is an amazing opportunity to bring in more quality and value to the experience. Lu also welcomes locals and anyone else who wants to join an international community.

This is also an amazing way for Lu to market not only his space but the coliving movement as well, which is amazing since Madrid, as we already said, does not yet have spaces like this.

Other events

Lastly, other than food events, Coliving Madrid also loves board games, hikes, and movie nights.

The living room is a perfect place for board games or movie nights, which are both often happening. Depending on the mood, once a week, one of these two activities will probably happen. If the atmosphere is a bit more energetic, a long game of Uno with some beers will make a Wednesday feel like Friday. And, if the mood is a bit calmer, a good movie will bring up discussions before bed.

And when the weather is nice, especially on Sundays after crepes, it’s a perfect time for a hike. Lu loves to hike and doesn’t mind driving the group if an interesting hike is a bit further away. There is something special about packing snacks, driving off together, and then having a nice mindful walk in nature. Madrid has loads of greenery all around, and, even in Rivas-Vaciamadrid you can find a route for a small hike and enjoy the sunset.

The future of Coliving Madrid

Lu’s space is still young. He doesn’t rush into it and takes time to explore and experiment. In the month we were there, new things were implemented from week to week, and the space and the experience were getting more and more shape. Now that we leave, it’s safe to call it a coliving space and say it’s ready to receive colivers that will further help it shape.

We think Coliving Madrid has a real potential of becoming the first community-focused nomad coliving in Madrid and that Lu has all the right ingredients to make it into that.

We’re super excited to see where it goes, and we highly recommend you visit it, stay with Lu, and add your own stamp to the experience of his building.

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Learn more about coliving

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Coliving Madrid: Creating a Tranquil Community on the Outskirts of the Spanish Capital

• ByMarko
• April 22, 2023

• • Coliving Movement

Why Spain should be your first coliving experience?

• ByMarko
• November 18, 2021

The post Coliving Spain 2023: #8 Coliving Madrid – Community & Cultural Exchange in the Spanish Capital appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

The first event of this year’s CWSC was the casual meetup set in Fabrica del Hielo, an old ice factory right on the gorgeous Valencian city beach.

Travel & Tapas arrived on the 8th, like most folks, and headed out to the Fabrica del Hielo to have a few drinks and check out the atmosphere of this year’s CWSC.

To welcome the guests and attendees, there was Manuel Zea, one of the founders and organizers of the Coworking Spain Conference. Manuel proved to be an amazing host, welcoming all guests with smiles and warmth as if he was welcoming us to his home.

The night went on for a few hours, but after a few drinks and good talks, we called it a night. Of course, we wanted to be fresh and ready for the real deal tomorrow morning – and we know that’s what you’re here to read about so, let’s dive in – but, first, let us tell you about the venue.

The venue and organization

The conference took place at the cultural-sport complex La Petxina, located on the outskirts of the city center.

The venue was addressing the needs of the conference, providing ample space for networking and comfortable surroundings for attendees, as well as two conference rooms.

The organizers made a concerted effort to cater to non-Spanish speakers by ensuring that 80% of the sessions were available in English. This made the conference more inclusive and accessible, allowing attendees from diverse backgrounds to benefit from the knowledge and insights shared during the event.

In between the rooms, there was a large area for networking with coffee and snacks available throughout the day, as well as an expo zone for the conference sponsors.

What we most liked about the venue was that, even though it was very professional, it also provided a comfortable relaxed atmosphere that encouraged connections, handshakes, and sharing conversation over a hot coffee.

Our favorite sessions

Each year, CWSC delivers an incredible and diverse program for the coworking industry and this year was not any different.

As a media platform for coliving in Spain, our interest fell a bit more on those sessions that were a bit closer to the world of coliving.

Coliving and coworking worlds can be incredibly close or incredibly far away from one another, depending on their location, type, target customers, and many other factors. In that sense, we can find a lot of similarities when it comes to management in some coliving.

So, some of our favorite sessions at this year’s CWSC delivered insights and tips relatable and valuable for both industries – coworking, and coliving.

The Anatomy of Coliving: Jon Hormaetxe

We began our focus on coliving with a session on the “Anatomy of Coliving” delivered by Jon Hormaetxe, a renowned coliving experience designer and co-founder of one of the oldest nomad colivings in Spain.

Jon started the session by sharing some insightful statistics regarding the living situation in Spain and the prevalence of coliving arrangements in the country. He showcased how coliving is a growing trend and an important solution for social challenges faced by many people in Spain.

Jon introduced the concept of coliving and shared some definitions, inviting the audience to share their opinions on what constitutes coliving and sharing his own opinions on different definitions. Different answers from the audience only emphasized Jon’s most valuable point and that is the importance of differentiating between types of coliving spaces. He then shared his knowledge of how to distinguish different spaces and their customers based on the average length of stay and the level of community connections in the space.

Jon also provided examples of various solutions, including Nomad coliving, Rural coliving, and different types of Residential colivings.

Overall, Jon’s presentation was engaging, informative and insightful. He shared his vision of the future of coliving and coworking, providing valuable insights for anyone interested in the industry.

Rural Coworking Roundtables

During the second day of the CWSC, attendees had the opportunity to participate in two engaging roundtables that focused on the topic of rural coworking. As we previously mentioned, rural coworking solutions are gaining popularity, but there are still some challenges that need to be addressed for this business model to be sustainable.

The roundtables highlighted the importance of collaboration between the private and public sectors, with suggestions such as organizing events with public libraries or using public spaces. The speakers shared their experiences of not having public sector support initially, but after demonstrating the positive impact of their work in bringing people to the villages, the support changed.

The main goal behind rural coworking is to bring back talent to the villages, as many young people leave for urban areas for better work infrastructure. Remote work and improved infrastructure could help reverse this trend.

The speakers also acknowledged challenges such as limited transportation in rural areas and difficulty in marketing their spaces.

To overcome these challenges, they shared strategies like creating rural coworking networks and a specific strategy called a rural pass, which allows people to switch between rural and urban coworking spaces.

The speakers also emphasized the need to proactively market rural coworking spaces by educating people about what coworking is and how it can be used. They pointed out that no one will understand what a coworking space is unless they are informed about it, so it’s important to go out and approach people to educate them.

Overall, the rural coworking roundtables provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of this business model and highlighted the importance of collaboration and proactive marketing to make rural coworking sustainable.

An interactive roundtable on conflict resolution

The final session of the conference was a highly engaging and interactive roundtable discussion on conflict resolution, where attendees openly shared their experiences and anecdotes as coworking operators.

The conversation covered a wide range of topics, including dealing with strange requests, struggles faced by female operators in being taken seriously, disrespectful behavior, non-payment of fees, conflicts between coworkers, and setting boundaries with long-term coworkers who have become friends.

What set this roundtable apart was the level of participation from the audience, which made it the most engaging session of the conference. The discussion was honest, raw, and at times even funny, reminding all the attendees that such problems are a part of operating a coworking space.

We believe that more of these interactive formats would be extremely beneficial for future conferences, as they provide a valuable opportunity for networking and learning from one another’s experiences.

Other sessions we enjoyed

Despite not being directly related to coliving, there were other sessions that we found particularly engaging.

IOS Office: Leading the industry in Mexico by Javier García Iza

“IOS Office: Leading the industry in Mexico” was one such session, where Javier García Iza, CEO of IOS OFFICES, shared an honest and humble story of their journey from opening a single space to becoming the industry leader in Mexico.

This inspiring session served as a reminder to new entrepreneurs to remain patient and steadfast, as success often takes time and effort. García Iza also emphasized the importance of maintaining a passion (and happiness) for one’s work as that is what customers will recognize.

Space as a Service: Spaces under Management by Óscar García Toledo

Another session we enjoyed was the session entitled “Space as a Service: Spaces under Management,” during which Óscar García Toledo, CEO of First WorkPlaces, provided insightful tips on the advantages of acquiring a management contract instead of renting a space for operators.

He outlined the necessary steps to take and emphasized the importance of considering legal and financial implications during the negotiation process.

Additionally, he shared his company’s successful approach to acquiring management contracts and discussed crucial elements to include in the contract when making a contract with a landlord. His expertise provided invaluable guidance to attendees, making the session feel like a comprehensive consultation filled with concrete advice.

State of Coworking in Spain 22-23 by Manuel Zea

Lastly, an additional compelling session was “State of Coworking in Spain 22-23,” presented by Manuel Zea, the CEO of CoworkingSpain.es.

The session included extensive data on around 1000 coworking spaces in Spain, covering aspects such as their geographic locations, quantity, occupancy rates, comparisons with other Spanish cities, variations in space types, payment options, and more, which was incredibly insightful.

The post CWSC 2023: A summary of the 12th edition of Coworking (and Coliving) Spain Conference appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

The two-day event will feature the presentation of the State of Coworking 2022-23 report, highlighting the size of the market and competition between major operators.

With 32 presentations by national and international experts from Europe and Latin America, the program will cover new coworking locations, the automation of spaces, and the development of coworking in the rural world.

The conference will bring together over 200 attendees from the coworking, coliving, and flexwork sectors, including real estate professionals, entrepreneurs, startups, and HR managers.

Over the years, CWSC has positioned itself as the second oldest and most important coworking conference in the world, attracting industry benchmarks, startups, and freelancers alike. This conference is an excellent opportunity to network with influential players and learn about new trends and business models in the rapidly growing coworking industry.

Other than that, we expect even more focus on the coliving sector this year, with some presentations especially focused on it.

Here is our breakdown of this year’s program:

Coworkings & Flexible Workspaces

First and foremost, there’s going to be a lot of talk on coworking and flexible workspaces. Of course, nothing surprising, but as per usual, most of this year’s conference will revolve around flexwork and coworking solutions. From spaces for small groups to those for enterprises, from management style to creative solutions, this year’s CWSC has prepared a rounded talk about coworking.

This year, we see some major topic areas surrounding flexwork, which we can use to group the speeches into 3 big categories:

• How to manage the space
• Unusual coworking solutions
• Rural coworking

Best practices for managing a coworking space

If you’re new to the coworking industry – maybe you’ve just opened a space or you’re thinking of doing it – you will see that one of the most complex parts of the process is figuring out how to manage it. 

If you’re attending CWSC this year, then you probably know that coworking is much more than a space with a few desks and chairs, and you want to learn how to create an experience from it. 

Luckily, CWSC puts a lot of focus on management and is bringing a lot of answers and insights based on the type of space or experience you strive to create. Let’s see what’s in for the first day:

Day 1 – 9th of May

(12:30h, Room 1) Xavi Bassons take on Managing the community in a coworking

In the past few years, coworking spaces have become partially a third place – a point for socializing, building a community, and surrounding yourself with people who share your lifestyle and routine. But how do you make your space community-focused?

Xavi Bassons, the Co-founder, and CEO of Monday Working Spaces, will give his take on creating a community in a coworking space that receives a very diverse pool of people, from freelancers to teams, and get real about the challenges behind managing them.

We anticipate this session to be very insightful from the community perspective and open discussion about some possible solutions for managing a diverse customer pool.

(13:15h, Room 1) Alessandro Nacci on Automation, Simplification, and Opportunities

Speaking of the management solutions, on the same day just before lunch, at 13:15, attendees will have the opportunity to join an interesting session from Alessandro Nacci, the founder of Sofia Locks, focusing on automation and simplification in space management. Alessandro will bring up some interesting solutions that “reduce workload and friction between members, as well as more effectively monetize the space.”

(15:30h, Room 1) Javi Moral’s take on The 10 Most Common Questions when managing a coworking space

If you are interested but still not sure which questions to ask and which answers to seek, then we highly recommend Javi Moral’s session on the top 10 most common questions when managing a coworking space. As the founder of one of the first coworking spaces in Spain and a moderator of CWSC’s Discord group, Javi knows exactly what coworking operators struggle with the most.

Other than being super interesting for those who are just entering the industry, we expect Javi’s talk to be very insightful for coworking consultants, thought-leaders, but also different providers of management solutions.

Day 2 – 10th of May

(10:30h, Room 1) Óscar García Toledo talks about Management Contracts and How they can be Beneficial for your coworking

After registration and coffee, one of the first sessions attendees will be able to join is “Space as a Service: Spaces under Management”, a session by Óscar García Toledo, the CEO of First Workplaces.

Oscar will focus on the growing trend of management contracts in the flexible workspace market, which has up until now been the exception in the Spanish market.

Attendees will hear about his company’s experience in managing different spaces under this type of agreement and learn when it is a good idea for an operator or property to reach this type of agreement instead of resorting to a conventional lease. As the flexible workspace industry continues to evolve, it’s important to understand the various options available for managing spaces effectively and efficiently and we expect this session to provide valuable insights for operators and property owners who are looking to optimize their operations and achieve long-term success.

(12:30h, Room 2) Ben Kolp asks “Can a man who does not exist manage Coworking?”

In the session curiously titled “Can a man who does not exist manage Coworking?” Ben Kolp will take us through a journey of automation and optimization. As the creator of a bot named Ken Bensley, Ben will share his experience with automating tasks related to member management.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear about the specific actions that can be automated, the level of technical expertise required, and the benefits that can be achieved through automation.

This will undoubtedly be an amazing session for operators who are looking for insights on how to streamline their operations and improve member experiences through automation.

Unusual coworking spaces

One major area topic of this year’s CWSC will be some unusual/special coworking establishments. Whether it’s reinventing a function of popular spaces, using spaces we already have at our disposal, or taking a challenge and taking the coworking space outside urbanism, attendees will have the chance of hearing a lot of different perspectives this year.

Here are the main sessions talking about this:

• (Day 1 – 9th of May, 12:00h, Room 1) Coworking in historic buildings by Marta Gracia
• (Day 1 – 9th of May, 16:15h, Room 2) Coworking in Shopping Malls by Carlos Gonçalve

Rural coworking

Lastly, we will have the opportunity to hear about a category that has become a movement over the past few years – rural coworking. A fully equipped working setting surrounded by tranquility and nature has become an ideal for many digital nomads, but is it challenging to create a space that will answer the needs of both worlds?

This year, we will have two round tables, one after another, which will address the reality, challenges, and specifications of running a rural coworking.

The round tables will gather speakers from Cowocyl, Codinse, ANDA Cowork, Cowocat_Rural, OpenOrbi, Vortex Coworking, Aurora Coworking, and El Taller Coworking.

Our suggestion is to stick around for both round tables to make it into a full story. They are happening on the second day and the specific times are below.

• (Day 2 – 10th of May, 15:30h, Room 2) The development of Rural Coworking
• (Day 2 – 10th of May, 16:15h, Room 2) Coworking in special places. The Reality of Rural Coworking

Coliving concept

And lastly, as a media platform and number one source for colivings in Spain, we’re especially excited about this (still) small part of the CWSC conference. Not every coworking is tightly connected with coliving, but vice versa – yes. Coliving operators are often coworking operators as well. Sometimes, it’s an enclosed service open for residents only, but other times, coworking is a way of connecting the residents with an external community.

This year, we’re especially eager to hear the talk from Jon Hormaetxe, a coliving experience designer, and the co-founder and operator of one of the pioneers in the coliving and coworking industry in Spain – Sun & Co. Jon will give an overview of the coliving concept, “the different models of coliving that exist today, specific problems they solve, and who they mainly address”.

Lastly, Jon will also explore the relationship and coexistence between coliving and coworking looking into the future. The exact time and date are below:

• (Day 1 – 9th of May, 12:00h, Room 2) Coliving Anatomy by Jon Hormaetxe

Other than Jon, on their take on the shared living concept, the attendees will have the opportunity to hear from Naiara Chaler, Chief Innovation Officer and Partnerships Manager at Aticco Ecosystem, Michael Erd, the CEO of Enso Coliving, and Carlos Perez Fur, a Product Manager at Suiters.

These are only some of the sessions you will definitely find us at this year’s CWSC 2023.

We’re also looking forward to exploring some other topics and sessions!

The post What Can We Expect from the CWSC 2023 in Valencia appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

Pitaya is a young coliving, opened only in April this year and expanded in November. It’s a unique share-living experience with great people. We are so thankful that we were a part of its community in this period and experienced this unthinkable gorgeous island.

This is a remote work destination made for the soul, and Laura, Pitaya’s founder, and host is going above and beyond to showcase this and make the first ecosystem for remote workers in Lanzarote.

Read below our experience in Pitaya Coliving and book your stay to escape the cold winter days.

Disclaimer: This piece of content may contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase or book through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Lanzarote – a digital nomad paradise

Even though all the Canaries are volcanic islands, Lanzarote is THE volcanic island in this group. If you’re into volcanic islands, Lanzarote is your destination.

It has one of the most unique landscapes in the world. With black stone and sand, multiple antique volcanos you can climb and hike; contrasts of typical white houses, crystal blue ocean, and bright green plants scattered around the island – it’s a movie-like scenery.

The island is also the perfect size for a one-month stay because you can visit all the most notable things in a month and truly immerse in them. There are a lot of beaches to visit and some fascinating hikes to do. But also, driving up and down the island is an experience in itself. On your way, you will pass so many volcanoes that you will not be able to count them.

The scenery is completed with the unique and uniform architecture of the island, created by a famous local artist, Cesar Manrique. Because of him, most of the houses and buildings on the island are painted white, with green, blue, or brown windows and doors, and have no more than 2-3 floors.

Arrecife

The capital of Lanzarote is Arrecife, a charming little town in the middle coastal part of the island facing the African continent. Pitaya coliving is located here, in the capital – which is not only a great position but one of the places for a local experience and the most urban experience on the island.

Lanzarote is easy to visit from north to south with a car (only a 40-50 minute drive from one end to another) and because of its size, when you think about Pitaya Coliving, you don’t only think about the neighborhood, or the city of Arrecife, you connected it with the whole island because this is the experience you are receiving.

How to get to Pitaya Coliving

Reaching Pitaya Coliving is very easy. Coming from mainland Europe, Lanzarote is the closest island, so the flight is the shortest. Being the third biggest island (number of residents-vise), its capital has really good and frequent connections with many European cities.

In general, there are two ways to reach Arrecife – by ferry and by plane. If you’re coming from the mainland, that option is a plane, but if you’re already on another Canary island, you can either take a plane or a ferry. Either way, both the airport and the port are close, and Pitaya Coliving is easily reachable from them.

Ferry to Lanzarote

The port is located around 10 minutes by bus from the Arrecife. The thing that is a bit complicated is once you get off the ferry. The bus station is a bit further down, and there is no marked path, so you will have to ask around a few times. But on a 5-7 minute walk from the ferry, diagonal from the closest cafeteria, there is a bus stop. The bus is number 3, costs €1.40 and takes about 10 minutes.

When you get off the bus, Pitaya coliving is on a 10-minute walk, and you will find it very easily.

Plane to Lanzarote

If you’re coming directly from Europe or you opt for BinterCanarias to take you from one island to another, you will also arrive quickly and safely from the airport to the coliving.

The airport is around 12 minutes by car from the coliving. You can take a cab from there, which will cost around 10 euros. If you opt for the bus, it will take about 30-40 minutes. The bus is always €1.40 in the city.

The neighborhood

The neighborhood around coliving is one of the best locations in Arrecife. It’s close to the historical city center and all the monumental city experiences. It’s close to the city beach, the castle, the marina, plenty of bars and restaurants, three big supermarkets, and a shopping mall. It’s a small town with everything you need, lively and relaxing at the same time.

El Charco

Pitaya Coliving is in one of the most charming neighborhoods in Arrecife called El Charco. The name translates to The Puddle, but this is nothing like a puddle. El Charco (the neighborhood) is a promenade that goes along a beautiful city marina, a historical center of Arrecife, and one of the liveliest areas.

The promenade is full of lovely local restaurants and bars, giving off a vibe between a fishing town and a family summer destination. 

The marina is full of these small local boats, with clear water, and beautiful to look at. That’s why bars in El Charco are very popular during the whole day and especially during the weekends. People, usually the locals, come here to have a drink, a snack, or a proper meal and relax watching the seagulls, herons, and pigeons enjoying the mesmerizing water.  

Walking here, you will find some other interesting things as well. First, you will notice these odd-looking boats made from tin plates. These are traditional boats from Lanzarote called Jolateros. Every day, there will also be a man in El Charco selling these small boats in all sorts of sizes, so you can buy them as a souvenir as well (as a keychain or a bit bigger).

Secondly, at the end of the marine, right on the edge of the city center, there is a display of a skeleton of a whale. This is truly a unique sighting (and a good orienteer).

El Charco also has other monuments here and there that showcase the history of the city, so make sure to have a look at them as well.

The city center and castle

In continuation to El Charco is the city center, a long street with shops and bars, that leads to the city castle – El Castillo de San Gabriel. The castle and the promenade around the castle are a great view to enjoy the ocean, the views, and all that wilderness inside the city. Cobble-stone boardwalk and antique bridge give a medieval feeling and can be a beautiful afternoon walk.

There is also a small beach next to the Castillo which is great for a quick swim during lunch hours. Walking down the street in front of the castle – another promenade – you will pass the cultural center of Arrecife, more bars and restaurants, and eventually come to the city beach (around 10-15 minutes walking from the coliving).

The coliving

Pitaya coliving is made of three apartments in one building, which occupies 2 and a half floors. Every apartment has 3 bedrooms – one double, one single, and one small single. 

Even though this setting might seem untypical at first, after a while it started reminding us of something. Here is the hint – multiple apartments, two across from each other, and a thigh group of people living in them, going from one another and having their best adult lives – what could that be!? Well, if you haven’t guessed so far, Pitaya Coliving has some serious Friends vibes.

All three apartments have their functions and vibes and all are completely available for every coliver. It doesn’t matter which bathroom, kitchen, or table you use because it’s all for everybody. 

There are two apartments across from each other on the second floor, and one above – on the third, and the last, floor. The top floor, besides the three private rooms, also has a big coworking space.

The other two apartments both have a shared kitchen and until recently, they both had a small chill area and a dining area as well. However, during our stay, some of the layouts changed to make more fluidity between the spaces and divide them per category. 

This new layout helps the community gather and gives importance to each apartment. The whole setting gives a new value, but more importantly, it shows that Laura cares about the opinions of the colivers and is open to change and experimentation.

Apartment 4 (The Chill Zone)

Apartment number four was the first living area. In this apartment, the colivers would find their kitchen), a small dining area for 5-6 people, and a cozy chill nook with a sofa by the window. All the interior was designed to have a flowy and positive vibe, with lots of pastel colors scattered across the place, colorful but subtle paintings on the wall, and mismatched yet matching dining sets.

Back when Pitaya was made only of two apartments – the number 4 and number 6, having a kitchen and a dining area made sense. For only six people, it was a perfect little gathering area and there was just enough storage for everyone.

But, Laura knew she wanted a bigger space. She knew she wanted to make this story bigger and share it with more people, so, even with still juggling the novelties of being a recently opened coliving, she decided to go for one more apartment and expand Pitaya coliving to 9 rooms.

That’s how Apartment 3 came to life. Even though this apartment was meant to be something of a mirror version of apartment 4 – more rooms, one more kitchen, and one more common space, after a while, the layout changed a bit and both apartments got their unique purposes.

So, what does Apartment number 4 look like now? (After changes)

Today, apartment 4 still has a small kitchen that colivers often use for cooking. Having two kitchens right across from each other is great when two or three people want to cook at the same time. It’s also great for cooking family dinners. Often, we would just open the front doors of the apartments (because nobody lives above so nobody ever passes there except PItaya people) and have a clean passage from one kitchen to another.

So, the kitchen stayed, but the common space changed. Now, apartment 4 is a designated chill area for the whole coliving. It is the only place of all three apartments that has a sofa (two sofas, to be precise), poufs, coffee tables, and just the best setting for chilling, hanging out, playing the guitar, or playing board games. This is now the place to relax, share a conversation, or have a casual rainy afternoon snuggled in the chunky blanket by the window.

Every week, Laura brings something new to the place to make it even cozier and nicer for hanging out so it’s becoming a dream-like living room.

This setting is (as of the moment of writing this) only about 2 weeks old, but we have already had so many amazing hangouts together in this space. It seems like the space also facilitated more casual gatherings, so some people who seemed shy or were not involving themselves in the community that much have started joining since the new setup.

Apartment 3 (The Wine & Dine)

Apartment number three, the one right across from apartment 4 and its supposedly mirrored version, had also fallen under some change and is serving a unique purpose. Today, this apartment is the main kitchen and dining area for the whole coliving.

With the same kitchen as apartment four, just a bit bigger, with more storage, and two fridges instead of one, this is where most colivers prepare their food and eat.

Besides the kitchen, there is a big table that can seat up to 12 people, so it’s a perfect place for family dinners, gatherings with food and drinks, or other similar events. People love to eat or have coffee in a company so this is still one of the busiest areas. This is where the family dinners and breakfasts were happening even before it became a dining area, so it feels very natural to gather here.

During the day, outside breakfast and lunch hours, it also works like a chill working area because of the size of the table and the tranquility of the room. During the morning, people usually work from the coworking area where the environment is quieter and more focused, so if you’re more in the mood of sharing a bit of conversation while working and having a coffee, this can be a good spot. Apartment 4 also has those “lazy workday” moments for when you need to get off a chair but don’t want to stay in your bed.

Apartment 6 (The Coworking)

Lastly, coming up to Apartment 6 on the top floor, we are presented with a coworking area.

This apartment truly is the perfect spot for the office as it has the best view of all the apartments. Overlooking El Charco, this is the spot for some of the best sunsets on the island, and during the day, when you get tired of working, you can find a bit of peace in looking over the boats in the lagune.

Also, when it comes to this apartment – it’s one with the most light in the rooms because of the sky that gives them the light through the inner patio.

But, let’s get real – the coworking in Pitaya Coliving is one of its selling points.

The Coworking

For this space to be suitable for remote workers, it had to have a reliable, functional, and inspiring workspace, and it’s safe to say it does.

The office has two areas. The main one, and the one where you come into, has three big desks put together with a total of 5 seats. Next to the desks, there is also a small fridge for all the goodies you would need during working hours like water, snacks, etc. The second area of the office is a space with four desks, of which two can be converted into standing desks.

The whole office is very bright and clean-looking. The pastel blue colors in the combination with white give you the tranquility to focus and be at peace while working.

Normally, this area is quiet and calm because everybody tries to be respectful towards others. That’s why for more casual or talkative work, colivers choose other places.

Besides the desks and comfy chairs, it’s important to say that the WIFI is very reliable and strong. Not only in the coworking, but generally throughout the house. Even if somebody notices a weaker connection, they only have to tell Laura about it and she will fix it.

Lastly, the coworking is used for the weekly planning sessions (Pitalendar), which we’ll cover a bit later, and any other session such as skill-sharing, story-telling, presentation – anything organized that’s a bit more structured and formal.

Community

The community in Pitaya is what makes this place truly special.

The lifestyle

This island, and with it, this coliving, attracts a unique group of people. People who love adventure, uniqueness, and natural gems, socializing and exploring the unknown with others.

Most people who come to Pitaya like outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, climbing, swimming, etc. And, it’s no surprise. This island is perfect for the outdoorsy ones. With the landscape so unique and the terrain relatively flat with a few challenging hiking spots, Lanzarote is amazing for exploration.

Pitaya Coliving attracts people who match the vibe of the island – adventurous, but down calm and down-to-earth people who want to experience life in a community while working remotely.

Remote Workers

Besides having matching energies and the same taste for after-work activities, the community in Pitaya is also concentrated around remote work which makes the house productive and supportive. There are never awkward situations if somebody has to work because everyone has the same or similar experience. There is so much understanding going on, but, at the same time, motivation for working.

The mornings during the week are focused on coworking and people give each other all those benefits you have from coworkers. Seeing others’ work gives you a push as well and knowing you will hang out with them after work is the best motivation there is.

This is definitely because, when making the coliving, Laura started from the perspective of a remote worker and set the focus and environment for those who can remotely and want to do it in a supporting and adventurous place.

The host

At the center of the Pitaya experience is its host – Laura.

Laura is both an external part of the community and a manager of the coliving. Her energy is what buys everyone the moment they walk into the coliving. Always positive, always smiling, and very open-hearted, Laura is the host everyone would love to have.

Madrid-born, Laura completely fell for Lanzarote and moved here to live a more fulfilling life, but it was not enough for her to have this amazing experience and life only for herself. She was so eager to share it with others that she decided to open the perfect place that would invite remote workers to the island. She made it for like-minded people to her, the ones that share the same passion for the outdoors and active lifestyle, and show them how amazing Lanzarote is and how full and healing life on the island can be.

Since moving to Lanzarote, Laura is working so hard on being an advocate for the island, with the coliving, but also other initiatives like the Pitaya Festival in Lanzarote – a one-day event that merges all the localities and beauties of the island.

As a coliving host, she always comes with an open mind, ready to listen to feedback (good or bad), ready to work on the coliving, improve the offering, and make her guests want to come back. Because of her openness, the colivers here have more input and control of their environment which strengthens the community, and the relationship with the coliving, and, of course, boosts the feeling of being home.

Community organization

Having in mind the above, the community in Pitaya is made very organically. When there were only two apartments, the activities and the organization were completely organic. There are, of course, some things that are included in the Pitaya experience like weekly yoga and fresh weekly breakfast, but when it comes to activities, they were always organized by the people that stayed there.

However, when the group expanded, the approach had to be a bit more organized, so Laura introduced some things that would facilitate the experience. One of the things is the weekly planning session called the Pitalendar (Pitaya calendar 😀).

This is a weekly meeting of all the colivers and Laura to plan together the week ahead. In this session, everyone is welcome to give suggestions or wishes, and Laura is there to help with the local suggestions. It’s also the time to share feedback with Laura, to say if something is missing in the house, give suggestions for the improvement of the coliving, and so on.

The best thing about the organization of the coliving is the involvement the colivers have. For example, one coliver suggested introducing family dinners every week, and Laura immediately did it.

The same goes for the layout of the apartments. After spending time there, as a group, we suggested moving the furniture and making a different layout. Laura listened to us, gave it a thought, and the next week, we were all moving the furniture and experimenting together. It was a great bonding activity and a great way to connect with the coliving even more.

Activities

So, when it comes to activities, they are very organic, but they are encouraged. People love to share their passions with others and it’s a very open stage to do it.

During our stay, we held out typical SEO presentations, but we also participated in the Habit workshop and became a part of the Accountability group – another initiative from a coliver, Pierre (Challengers Community).

Other than that, weekends are the go-to activity days and often colivers organize to explore the island. Somebody would rent a car and we’d go altogether. We have seen so much of the island this way and Laura was always so great to give us routes and suggestions.

This organization, the community, the island, and the host make Pitaya Coliving a very special experience with a very bright future. For a young coliving, they have grown so much in the past few months and we’re super excited to see how they continue to grow.

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Learn more about coliving

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Coliving 1907 – A historical house telling a unique story of Las Palmas

• ByMarko
• November 5, 2022

• • Coliving Movement

Why Spain should be your first coliving experience?

• ByMarko
• November 18, 2021

The post Coliving Spain 2022: #7 Pitaya Coliving – Lanzarote’s first hub for Remote Workers & Digital Nomads appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

First stop in our second, Fall, initiative, and 6th stop overall, and we’re back on the Canaries. This time, we’re exploring one of the favorite islands for digital nomads – Gran Canaria. And none less than its capital – Las Palmas, all thanks to Coliving 1907.

We’re lucky to explore this amazing city through Coliving 1907 because the owner and the host, Raquel Villalobos Vega is a true local, and on top of knowing all the tips and secrets of the city, she makes sure that the coliving is very well connected to the digital nomad community.

If you’re longing for a place where you could stay for a few months, enjoy nice weather, meet a lot of amazing people, and learn so many new things, Coliving 1907 in Las Palmas is a perfect choice.

Need more persuasion? Read our experience below. 🙂

Disclaimer: This piece of content may contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase or book through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Las Palmas – a city where nomads and locals cohabitate

Las Palmas is one of the most vibrant cities in the Canaries. With not many regular tourists, it’s a perfect spot where digital nomads and slow travelers cohabitate with the locals. The dynamics of the city make it even more attractive for slowmads as they can balance between the local culture and interacting with other nationalities.

If you come to Las Palmas, it is practically impossible not to meet someone, not make friends, or feel alone. Along with the vibrant life, the weather in Las Palmas is one of the nicest in the Canaries with temperatures being between 20 and 27 degrees throughout the year and with little or no wind.

This place gives off a perfect mix between island life and metropolitan so it is good for those who love nature, surfing, and adventure, as well for those who like commodities, big city life, and socializing events.

Coliving 1907 is located in the city’s old town – Triana. A bit further away from the beach (further meaning 30 minutes by foot or 10 minutes by bus), Triana is the local center of Las Palmas, with gorgeous cobblestone streets, tall antique buildings with ornaments and wooden gates and tons of local coffee shops and restaurants with traditional and affordable offerings.

How to get to Coliving 1907

To come to Las Palmas, you can either come by plane from the mainland or by plane or ferry from another island.

Ferry to Las Palmas

If you’re coming by ferry, you can go directly to Las Palmas. The port is located in La Isleta, the most northern part of the city. From there, you can take a free ferry bus that will take you to Santa Catalina park which is 5 minutes from the bus stop and the central bus station.

Coliving 1907 is located a bit further in the city, where the old town is – in the neighborhood called Triana. This is about an hour’s walk from where the ferry bus will leave you or a 10-minute bus ride from the Santa Catalina bus stops.

When you get off the ferry bus, cross the road/bridge and go straight forward until you see lots of bus stops. You will need to take bus number 17 which will stop at the first bus stop. The ticket price for one ride is fixed for every in-city ride and will cost you 1.40 euros.

Plane to Las Palmas

The airport is about a 20-30 bus ride from the coliving. There are different buses that you can take from the airport. All of them will bring you to the same bus station – San Telmo.

Once you get off the bus, the coliving will be just 5 minutes walking from there, two streets above and parallel to Triana street.

The space

Coliving 1907 is a beautiful family house from – yes, you guessed it – 1907. The building is what takes this coliving experience to another level with its authentic Spanish vibrations.

Even though patios (stone gardens or atriums with open skylights in the center of the building) are something thought to be typical for Andalusia or Latin America, they can be found all over Spain and they’re often closely connected to Spanish culture.

In Las Palmas, at least in the old town around Triana, you can spot these gorgeous houses with patios on every step. There is something magical about them because when you open the doors of a building, instead of a boring hallway, you are welcomed with this spacious, colorful oasis, and it feels like you’ve encountered a secret world.

And just like its neighboring buildings, Coliving 1907 also has this secret world inside of it which adds to the atmosphere and makes you feel a bit like royalty. Lucky for you, we’ll give you a glance into this secret world today. Let’s take a tour. 🙂

Patio

As soon as you enter Escritor Benito Perez Galdos street, in front of this cute little coffee shop, and through a high wooden door, the patio will open up to you. You will walk through a small, beautifully decorated hallway and a black gate with the year 1907 written in the iron.

The next thing that will catch your attention will be a tall palm tree in the center of the patio, surrounded by dozens of other colorful pots and plants. If you wish to enjoy the peace and breathe in the view, you can take a seat at one of two yellow sitting corners and take your time before going upstairs.

Even though this patio can be the perfect place for gatherings and events, currently, it serves more as this peaceful oasis for colivers to come and join a bit of silence and daydreaming. The only reason for this is that the coliving already has another communal area for gatherings and events, but we’ll get to that later. 🙂

With an open skylight, decorative tiles, and a garden-like feeling, it’s a perfect spot for reading a book, writing a journal, or sharing a pot of tea with another coliver over a light conversation. Oh – and, of course, for taking photos! 😀

If you’ve taken enough time to enjoy the patio, let’s get into a celebrity mood and take the red-carpeted stairs up to the first floor to explore the interior.

The interior

As soon as you walk up the stairs, you will be welcomed by a hallway that goes into a circle around the patio. Whichever way you take – left or right – you will come to your destination.

This floor is a perfect mix of antique and modern – with dark wooden floors, tall ceilings, and big windows looking at the patio and the palm tree.

This floor takes up the majority of the interior of the house and can be split into 3 areas – kitchen and dining area, chillout zone, and the rooms.

Let’s start with the rooms as one of the most important factors when choosing a coliving.

Rooms

Coliving 1907 has 8 private rooms, single and double. All rooms are named after a specific area in Gran Canaria, which is thoughtfully presented on a minimalist map in front of each room.

The inside decoration of the rooms also follows these names and have colors, paintings, or other decoration that hints at or reminds of the area.

Seven rooms are on the first floor, and one is on the patio. Two rooms share the bathroom and others are private – some inside the room, and some outside.

We stayed on the first floor in room Mogan, inspired by a charming fisherman village in Gran Canaria. To match the name, there were a lot of sea-inspired decorations like a blue wall, a golden dolphin piece, a calming painting of the fish underwater, and other blue details.

Except that, all the rooms on the first floor have a huge, two-meter-tall window looking out onto the street. Some of the rooms also come with a private balcony.

A valuable feature that you will find in the rooms is the height-adjustable table that you can turn into a standing desk which makes work so much more enjoyable.

Inside community spaces

Other than the rooms, on the first floor, you will also find all the interior community spaces.

The kitchen

On the separate side of the rooms, you will find the kitchen and the community coworking area.

The kitchen is big enough for a few people to prepare their food and even has a table that two, or three people can sit at and eat or prepare food together.

There are two fridges in the kitchen, and every room has its shelf. Both fridges also have a “general” shelf that is used for things that are for everybody.

Sometimes, somebody might put things where they want to share with others, and other times, when a coliver is leaving the house, they can leave here what they can’t bring with them so the food doesn’t get thrown away.

In the kitchen, each room also has its pantry shelf for storing food, and there’s also one general shelf for things that don’t need to be refrigerated.

Indoor coworking area

Besides the kitchen, there is the main indoor community space – a coworking/multifunctional area. It’s a big table with comfy antique-looking chairs with about 10 seats.

Here, you will also find a big vertical mirror and pics of all the current and past colivers.

Lazy area

Lastly, when it comes to indoor common spaces, the first floor also has a comfy lounge area with bean bags and window nooks great for lazier work on your laptop or a cup of coffee in the afternoon.

However, even with lots of space inside for the community to gather, these all places are completely outshined by one particular outdoor space, and one of the best amenities of Coliving 1907 – the rooftop.

Rooftop

One of the strongest selling points of Coliving 1907 is its rooftop. This huge, multifunctional area truly elevates the experience and is definitely the most beloved feature of most colivers.

The rooftop compliments Gran Canaria’s late spring-early summer temperatures throughout the year and serves as the perfect spot for all sorts of activities – day or night.

The space is big enough to be divided into different sections. The main part of the rooftop, and where the most activity happens, is the gazebo. The gazebo is the key solution that makes the rooftop useful and accessible at all times.

Even though many colivings in Spain have similar flat rooftops because that’s a typical feature of houses and buildings in Spain, with nothing providing shade, they make it hard to be used during the day. The sun in Spain can be very strong so without any shade, it’s practically impossible to stay on the rooftop for a long time and especially impossible to work from it.

Coliving 1907 found the perfect solution for this and elevated its rooftop to a maximum. The gazebo gives shade during the day and can also double as protection from the rain. So, with mild temperatures throughout the day, colivers prefer to spend their time outside, eating, working, or just chilling out.

The gazebo floor is covered in faux grass carpet, making it soft and cozy to walk on even barefoot.

Main Coworking Area

Besides this, there are two tables – one regular long table with 8 seats and one high table with 4 seats. There are also two egg chairs that you can move around, as well as extra chairs and two deck loungers that you can take out when you need them.

Other than the thoughtfully designed space, another thing that makes the rooftop the main coworking area is that it is packed with outlets and good wifi.

All these characteristics make this area the one that the colivers use the most, and the main gathering area in general. All events, activities, family dinners, and so on that happened in Coliving 1907, happen on this rooftop. There are about 20 spots for people to fill up the space but still be comfortable, which is a bigger capacity than the coliving itself, so on regular days, it’s a very spacious and comfy zone to have your breakfast, work, or share a conversation.

Other areas

Other than the gazebo, the rooftop has a back area (invisible from the gazebo) with a clothesline where you can leave your clothes to hang out and dry in the indirect sun and fresh air.

There is also a laundry room with a washing machine, detergent, softener, and iron with an ironing board, that is currently free for use on the roof. This room also doubles as a communal toilet.

Lastly, the central part of the rooftop is the one that stays in the sun so you can take out the deck chairs and sunbathe. It also has a nice platform in the middle that can be used as a sitting area or a central area for events during the night. Although, the events mostly happen under the gazebo, but we’ll get to that later. 🙂

The Community

Coliving 1907’s community is structured in a specific way that differs a bit from a typical coliving community.

The Core Community (Current colivers)

First of all, with 8 rooms, Coliving 1907 is a small-sized coliving, so the coliving community is also smaller and with dynamics that feel more like a family.

Las Palmas is a lively city with loads of things to do so most of the colivers live lives at their own pace, pursuing activities and hobbies they like. This means that, unlike some other, more remote communities, you will not see people here constantly doing everything together.

When there are shared interests, people will connect over them, but there is not that kind of pressure to engage in things you’re not particularly interested in only because it’s a pre-organized community activity.

The dynamics in the house are tranquil, respectful, and friendly, and the activities done together often happen organically and spontaneously. Going out with a few of your fellow colivers to a party feels like you’ve got family with you. You will see these people at home, you can always count on them to support you and be there if you need them. It’s not necessarily about spending the most time together, but always being there for each other.

The host

The host and owner of the coliving, Raquel, is also very well integrated into the community without putting the feeling of overlooking or micromanaging the community.

What makes this community even more family-like and the house feel like home is the fact that a lot of people are staying for at least a few months. People don’t come here to have an intense experience and go back home to their lives, they move their lives here and build the community around themselves.

Ex-colivers

All these facts are actually the reason why Coliving 1907 has another layer when it comes to its community that we don’t often see in other colivings. This layer consists of ex-colivers who stayed at the coliving, loved it, had to move out for one reason or another, but decided to stay closely connected to the place and the people, making a part of the extended community.

One of these folks we met was Carlos, who stayed at the coliving for 10 months, and after he moved out, continued being part of the community, coming to events, joining group activities, and so on.

Another example can be Daniel, a coliver that lived in the house when we moved in and moved out a few days into our stay. However, he was still so much integrated into the community, that it took me a whole week to realize that he had moved out.

Digital nomad community of Las Palmas

Lastly, besides these two layers of the community, there is another one, and that’s access and connection to the bigger network of digital nomads in Las Palmas.

Unlike most colivings, Coliving 1907 often opens its doors to the folks outside and helps its colivers become a part of the digital nomad community on the island by staying on top of the happenings in the city, giving you access to this big community on Slack, and organizing open events for everybody to join.

Now, let’s talk about how this coliving organizes its events.

Events and activities

Coliving 1907 organizes its events on a monthly basis, offering 4-5 events per month, most usually once per week.

Even though some colivings organize events more frequently, for Coliving 1907, this is the perfect amount of activities, and here’s why.

First of all, as we mentioned, most people stay here for a long time. When you’re coming on a 3-week long workation, having daily activities makes sense. However, when you’re living somewhere for a few months, you don’t have the energy and the capacity to engage in activities every day.

Once a week is more than enough to gather in a bigger group of colivers and do something interesting and fun and use the rest of the days in the week for yourself and your interests, occasionally and spontaneously socializing.

Secondly, in Coliving 1907, people are much more likely to spontaneously organize what was happening between themselves so they didn’t need an entertainer. Some colivings that organize daily activities, organize beach trips or go to a restaurant together. In Coliving 1907, those are not considered pre-organized activities as the colivers organize them between themselves.

The activities and events that Coliving 1907 organizes are more events than activities, so it makes much more sense to have them once a week, and leave space for more casual activities during the week.

Third, as we mentioned, Coliving 1907 is located in the center of Las Palmas – a big city full of life and daily events for digital nomads. By giving its colivers access to this bigger community in the city, they are exposed to daily events around the city and can choose where and when they will go and what they’ll do. There are unlimited possibilities in the city so making events more frequent in the colivings would mean making the colivers choose if they will stay inside or go explore other interests.

Fourth, as we mentioned, Coliving 1907 opens its events to people outside of the coliving as well. By posting in the digital nomad slack group and advertising on social media, at each event at least a few people from the outside join. It’s a great way to broaden the community, but also to offer valuable events to others as well.

For example, we organized our SEO seminar there, so, by opening the event to everybody, people outside the coliving who were interested in the subject had the opportunity to come and participate which resulted in some new connections. In a way, this is also how Coliving 1907 gives back to the bigger community of Las Palmas.

During one month, it’s usually a schedule of mixed free and paid activities. Some interesting events that you could find in Coliving 1907 are:

• International potluck dinner
• Raw tapas workshop
• Spanish workshop
• Coworking day

For us, participating in these kinds of events and hosting one of them in this structure was something new and very interesting and we find it to be another selling point of this coliving.

Managing a coliving this way is not very common and can be challenging. It’s much easier to have a community manager that will entertain guests daily in order to get good reviews and a positive experience. Coliving 1907 took that risk and exceeded it. Raquel did an amazing job using the opportunities of the city to engage the coliving’s community, but also, providing a balance between intense digital nomad experiences and tranquil home life.

With this approach, she managed to create a valuable family-like community that stays alive beyond the booking dates.

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Learn more about coliving

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Coliving 1907 – A historical house telling a unique story of Las Palmas

• ByMarko
• November 5, 2022

• • Coliving Movement

Why Spain should be your first coliving experience?

• ByMarko
• November 18, 2021

The post Coliving Spain 2022: #6 Coliving 1907 – Your peaceful refuge in the Digital Nomad Center of Gran Canaria appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

If you’re frequently traveling and staying somewhere for a month or two, it’s not convenient to bring along all your clothes and material possessions.

In this article, we’ll give you some tips on how to pack light and how to have all you need in one place. We will teach you some tips on how to travel without spending money and energy on carrying enormous amounts of luggage or buying all that you’re missing „when you’re there.“

Best clothes for traveling light

The best tip for packing your clothes is to plan 5-10 outfits upfront. Of course, the key thing is to pick clothing pieces that can mix and match with many other clothes.

👕 For example, pack a basic t-shirt that goes great with jeans but that can also be a base layer below your clothes or go with a skirt or sweats.

👖🩳 Pack 2-3 bottoms, one casual, one semi-casual, and one formal-ish. For example, you can pack sweats, jeans, and a skirt or trousers. If you’re traveling in the summer, then shorts, light long pants, and casual/sports shorts.

👚👔 Pack 4 tops that can mix and match – 2-3 t-shirts, a shirt, two sweaters, or sweatshirts (depending on your style). Again, if there’s no need for sweaters, some light sweatshirt or a long-sleeve shirt will do.

🥼 Try to pack only one overcoat, like a suit top, cardigan, or a shirt that can go both casual and formal. It all depends on your style, but you should pick pieces that can mix with at least two other outfits.

👟👡 When it comes to shoes, if you can, bring only two pairs of shoes + sleepers or flip-flops for inside. Two shoe types can differ in warmth or formality. If you think you have universal shoes that go with everything, it’s okay to bring only those.

Another rule to follow is to wear all the bulky items when traveling and leave the light clothes for packing. If you’re not traveling in summer, layering is a great way to save space.

What cosmetics to pack when traveling lightly

If you’re doing makeup, pack only the essentials. One to two things for your face, one for your eyes and brows, and one or two things for your lips. One smaller eye shadow palette is more than enough to stay creative but pack light.

Other than makeup, bring only essentials that are expensive to buy again. Those can be face or acne creams that you cannot go without, but that you typically renew only a few times a year.

You should invest in travel-size packaging and take your stuff like that. For example, these traveling containers from Amazon can come in handy.

If you click this link and make a purchase, as an Amazon Associates we will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Other things like shampoos, toothpaste, showering gel, etc., you should either buy at your destination or bring in solid form. Solid shampoos last longer and help save space, and reduce plastic use so they’re often the “eco” option so it’s a win-win. You can find these on Amazon or your local pharmacy.

Doing laundry on the road

If you decide to wash your clothes on your trip, you will see that it will save you so much space when packing. To make this happen, try finding accommodation with a washing machine or one close to a local washing place.

Self-service washing places

Washing places in Europe charge from 2-4 euros per load and another 1-3 euros for using the dryer. However, even the smallest load in these places fits a lot of things so you can wash all your clothes with one load.

If you’re using these self-service washing places, they will have washing powder included, so you don’t need to buy one. If you’ll use a washing machine at your accommodation, you can buy washing powder for as cheap as 2 euros that can last for a few weeks. There are also many options of solid washing powders that come in small blocks that can be super easy to carry through the airport.

Try to fit all your electronics in one place

Depending on your job or hobbies, you will have some essential electronics that you’ll need to take with you. And I’m not talking about hair dryers and curling irons here – these are not essentials if you’re traveling light. The key to traveling light is to pick your accommodation in a way that you will have all the stuff you need there.

But, when it comes to essential electronics, we’re talking about your laptop, phone, chargers, cameras, etc.

A tip is to try to fit all of these into the laptop carrier or in one compartment of your suitcase instead of having a separate case for every piece of electronics. There are some great compartments for organizing the electronics that you can buy on Amazon.

However, maybe the best thing is to go for a backpack as an all-in-one solution.

Our advice is to choose a backpack that can cover both traveling and daily working needs. That way you don’t need to pack an additional one, which can save you a lot of space in your suitcase.

In the end, if you need more space, you can always combine the two and separate the backpack with organizing cubes, thus allowing yourself a better-organized space.

Bring energy bars instead of potato chips and other snacks to save space.

If you’re bringing food to your travels, it’s best to buy energy bars or other protein and energy foods that will not take much space but will also keep you going longer.

Chips and other similar snacks will not help you fulfill hunger nor give you energy and will take too much of your space.

Stick to a packing list

This one seems obvious but is very important. Write a strict list of the things you’ll be carrying and stick to it. When you’re not following a list, you’ll put a lot of things you don’t need but found while packing.

If you brainstorm and find out you need only three shirts, stick to it and do not bring the 4th one with you.

Use packing cubes

Packing/organizing cubes like these from Amazon are a smart thing to invest in, especially if you’re carrying a suitcase.

Organizing your clothes in one place, cosmetics in another, and electronics in third, really helps you think about the essentials.

It’s great to have 5-6 packing cubes that you designated to specific categories and stick to those categories. If you already filled out the packing cubes you meant for clothing, don’t pack your clothes anywhere else.

If something can’t fit into the cubes, leave it, or swap it with another piece. This will help you stay on track.

Another great product to invest in are compression packing cubes. Packing your clothes in compression compartments is life-saving and will allow you to bring much more things. There are plenty of options on Amazon for this, too.

We hope these tips will help you pack lighter and be more organized. Remember, living lighter is rewarding and will make your life simpler and more stress-free.

Travel safe!

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The post How to pack light when traveling as a digital nomad appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.