The two levels of community at La Casa
We often assert at La Casa that we create ideal homes for community living. But what does community mean in La Casa coliving?
The community in a La Casa coliving space
The term "community" can have various meanings and may simply involve sharing the same space. For example, coworking spaces often claim to bring together communities of several hundred people who indeed share the same workspace but are not truly connected to each other. Connected in an emotional sense, where personal bonds develop. Those who have frequented coworking spaces know this well. We often cross paths without speaking, we coexist without knowing each other. It's typically just a community of place, where users don't really form connections. There are, of course, exceptions, but creating a sense of community is generally the biggest challenge in these types of shared spaces.
In a Casa, strong communities develop
La mission of La Casa is ambitious: to create communities of (future) friends! It may seem absurd from the outside, but the roommates of our colocations in Coliving can testify that strong emotional bonds truly unite them within the Casas. Communities of people develop, roommates form connections, and many strangers from yesterday will build lasting friendships at La Casa. We believe that our approach and the roommate recruitment process play a significant role. It starts with recruiting Founders of a Casa who embrace our values of kindness, enthusiasm, and teamwork. They demonstrate a genuine desire to create a community and are willing to make efforts for it. They represent half of the Casa that will open, and they coopt the other half of the house during an Open House (where candidates visit the house and meet the Founders), before moving in. These future roommates, who do not know each other originally, meet at our Meetups, see each other again, and envision themselves in creating the community: the spirit of community begins to take shape! The setting of a Casa, which has more soul than a Parisian apartment, with its garden, terrace, barbecue, and nooks, clearly helps to create this spirit of community. The theme, on which we rely for this purpose, also contributes to it. The month following the move-in is crucial, and the La Casa staff is then very present to detail the rules of communal living, encourage collective decision-making, and create the first moments of conviviality (the inaugural shared dinner, the launch of services, the choice of temporary roles).
Then gradually, we transition from the role of actors to that of spectators, attentive to the positive evolution of the community spirit. We put ourselves at the service of the roommates, and it is they who begin to write their own collective story.
Living in a community isn't "easy". It requires genuine communication skills, and conflicts almost always stem from a lack of communication. The key is knowing how to compromise and sometimes prioritizing the collective interest over personal preferences. However, everyone's essential privacy is always preserved, as each roommate has their own room and complete bathroom. In return for these efforts, which should not be underestimated, roommates contribute to the creation of a strong community, where deep friendships develop among some (not all 😇). In a Casa, people start to rely on each other, to be there for one another. Some even speak of it as their second family... one they don't want to leave! Perhaps that's why we find that roommates stay at La Casa for an average of over 2 years, which is significantly longer than what we initially anticipated!
The emergence of a sense of community among the different Casas around Paris
In recent months, a second level of community has emerged, which connects the different Casas together. It's a community that the roommates from the various Casas greatly appreciate and one that is eager to grow. On the staff side, we facilitate meetings and exchanges by organizing various social events. The roommates then take the lead and organize other events among themselves. Why does it work? The foundations for this sense of community are laid: a shared foundation of values and common experiences that automatically create initial connections, facilitated by a shared desire for socializing and festive moments. The roommates all live in community in one of the Casas, they have in common being relatively new to Paris, are around thirty years old, are often single, and are generally friendly, curious, and eager to have fun! Simply residing at La Casa also indicates these common values that have been validated by the La Casa staff before moving in: a positive, open, curious spirit with a sense of community. Selfishness is really a dirty word at La Casa :) What do these staff-organized events consist of? We offer one event per month, which takes the form of an after-work gathering on a weekday evening in Paris, or an aperitif in a Casa that then opens its doors to the cousins of other Casas. The latest event: the InterCasas Aperitif of La Casa des Sportifs in Maisons-Alfort. The roommates really got into it as they took the initiative to propose a theme, Peaky Blinders, and some entertainment. Everyone participated, dressed up, and the photos reflect the atmosphere of the evening :)
This community of all the Casas doesn't require any particular effort, no compromises, it's simply a promise of joyful encounters and festive evenings. Of course, everything isn't always perfect at La Casa, and conflicts do arise. But the numerous testimonials from roommates regarding the positive experience they have at La Casa, the friendships they forge with others that will endure for a long time, truly make us proud of our mission.
