The Coh is a new three-storey Auckland complex that is about to be home to more than 20 adult flatmates. Photo / Supplied
The Coh is a new three-storey Auckland complex that is about to be home to more than 20 adult flatmates. Photo / Supplied
Would you pay $360 a week to live in the city centre in an apartment that is more akin to a dormitory in terms of the number of flatmates?
The Coh is a new three-storey Auckland complex that is about to be home to more than 20 adult flatmates.
The Symonds St property is being touted online as "stylish shared living for young professionals".
It offers 22 "compact" bedrooms, alongside high-quality shared living spaces that include a modern kitchen, movie room and rumpus room complete with table tennis.
However, with the bedrooms a mere 7sq m they're smaller than the average car park.
The Coh on Symonds St, Auckland, boasts of a modern kitchen. Photo / Supplied
The much larger open lounge, kitchen and dining area is "fully equipped with everything you need to make mealtimes and socialising effortless", according to the website.
"For a quiet night in, the movie room is perfect with its cozy feel, large-screen projector and surround sound system."
Coh founder Ben Spence told Newstalk ZB he was inspired by his own shared co-living experience in San Francisco, where he made life-long friends who helped him explore the California city.
"I always thought this would be quite a tough concept to bring back, especially with the smaller sized rooms."
But the main emphasis on co-living was that the bedroom spaces, which are all furnished, were for sleeping and storage of personal items such as clothing, Spence said.
"We are not really looking for people who are just going to be coming in here and just going to be staying in their rooms.
"They need to really make the most of the communal space."
The Coh has communal living areas. Photo / Supplied
The target market was people between the ages of 22 and 35 who were either young professionals, interns or post-graduate students, he said.
The apartment, which is located above spaghetti junction at 124 Symonds Street, has good access to nearby public transport.
It is due to open its doors on July 7.
OneRoof editor Owen Vaughan said the concept was working successfully in places like Denmark.
It was the kind of living space that would appeal to people who want to get a handle on a new city, he said.
"The drawcard of these places is the shared nature of the living-space, you meet people, you make friends, you enjoy sharing the kitchen."
It might not be everyone's cup of tea - but there are people are looking for a sense of community, he said.
"I can see it's only going to be targeted at a very specific market."
While popular for recent arrivals to the city, it was unlikely to become a long-term housing solution, he said.
For many, it would be like an extension of university days, he said.
In terms of appetite it was again like tertiary accommodation in the sense that people would enjoy the short-term use before perhaps wanting to strike out on their own, he said.
"I can see there being limited demand for these. I can't see them cropping up in great numbers.
"I don't see shared spaces as a threat to the rental market in Auckland - it's a nice new facet to it but I don't think it's a solution and I don't think it's a hindrance."
