France: Coliving operator Commune and architectural studio Cutwork have collaborated on a solution to the changing dynamics of family living.
The Commune offer is designed to “embrace the growing segment of single-parent families, acknowledging the
inherent strength, resilience, and unique needs of this community”.
Commune, which opened its first site in Paris in December 2023 welcoming 14 families, aims to ensure that its accommodation is accessible to everyone while maintaining the ideas of dignity; equality; and solidarity at the heart of what it does. Offering extremely competitive pricing in key urban locations, Commune aims to support and facilitate single-parent families in finding a new and sustainable balance.
Compact modular private units, available for one or two child single-parent families, combined with shared spaces as well as playful hidden areas open to children or parents, mean that Commune is a constantly adapting and adaptable space. The introduction of an on-site speakeasy bar is not just a nod to modern leisure but a means to ensure that parents have a chance to relax and socialise without stepping out of their safe cocoon while spaces for homework, after school clubs and birthday parties mean children have friends around them at all times.
A typical Commune residence will have between 25 to 50 private units, featuring a minimum of two bedrooms, as well as an independent bathroom and kitchenette, alongside spacious common areas including a fully furnished kitchen, dining and living room, a multi-purpose playroom, a co-working space, and a communal garden space.
In France alone, one in four families is a single parent unit with 24 per cent of children from single-parent families living in “overcrowded” housing, where at least one room is missing from what is regarded as the necessary number. Analysis also shows how single-parent families are among the most exposed to the cost of living crisis with an average drop of 25 per cent in their standard of living one year after separation.
Kelsea Crawford, co-founder and CEO of Cutwork said: “At Cutwork, we envision a world where shared architecture and design inspire us to think differently about being together, and our partnership with Commune perfectly encapsulates this mission. We’ve considered the design for each part of the Commune experience, integrating compact living spaces designed to host parents and children with shared communal areas that promote a strong sense of community and support for single-parent families. Working together with Commune enables us to redefine the living standards for this frequently ignored and deeply underserved demographic.”
In designing Commune, Cutwork has created three distinctive ‘worlds’ within each space:
• A world for the children without their parents that is focused on play both independently and with the other children living onsite. Accessed by doors placed low down and often hidden away or disguised as other things such as a wardrobe or TV cabinet this gives the children freedom while the parents are still able to oversee what is happening but at a distance.
• A world for the adults without their children to give them some personal time. Again hidden doors are a focal design point that lead into more grown-up spaces of quiet reading nooks, a coworking spot and even a Speakeasy style bar space accessed through a fake fridge door.
• A world for all of the families at Commune to meet collectively to socialise, connect with, and support one another creating a true sense of community within the Commune building.
Tara Heuzé-Sarmini, co-founder and CEO of Commune, said: “Commune and Cutwork are convinced that we need to put human relations and interactions back at the core of the places we evolve in, and that buildings need to serve our basic need for connection. Spatially and architecturally, we have translated this into living spaces that encourage encounters and break the vicious circle of loneliness, while preserving the privacy of single parents and their children. The Commune residences are one piece of a more sustainable and desirable world, and we can’t wait to roll them out in France and around the world.”
