crown

Subscribe Now

FOLLOW US

Sign in

Photos: Co-living, London’s novel trend against exorbitant rents

The Old Oak building may look like a 10-storey hotel, but it may just be the world's biggest large-scale house-share, offering modest rooms and upscale services for hundreds of young adults caught in London's housing crisis.

Updated on: Oct 21, 2017 2:03 PM IST

Share via

Copy link

1/8

An employee is seen at ‘The Collective Old Oak’, a co-living building in London. Situated on a canal bank in north west London, the Old Oak opened in spring 2016 and has become a pioneer of ‘co-living’, a concept that is beginning to catch on elsewhere, most notably in the United States. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

Updated on Oct 21, 2017 2:03 PM

An employee is seen at ‘The Collective Old Oak’, a co-living building in London. Situated on a canal bank in north west London, the Old Oak opened in spring 2016 and has become a pioneer of ‘co-living’, a concept that is beginning to catch on elsewhere, most notably in the United States. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

2/8

Residents of Old Oak work in one of the communal spaces at the co-living building. The building’s distinguishing features include its industrial-style architecture and sprawling common spaces filled with colourful armchairs and wooden furniture. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

Updated on Oct 21, 2017 2:03 PM

Residents of Old Oak work in one of the communal spaces at the co-living building. The building’s distinguishing features include its industrial-style architecture and sprawling common spaces filled with colourful armchairs and wooden furniture. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

3/8

A view of the 10-storied Old Oak building, which may look like a hotel, but in real it is a large-scale house-share. The majority of the rooms cost between £850 and £1,100 (Rs. 72,979 and Rs.94,443) per month, but that includes all bills. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

Updated on Oct 21, 2017 2:03 PM

A view of the 10-storied Old Oak building, which may look like a hotel, but in real it is a large-scale house-share. The majority of the rooms cost between £850 and £1,100 (Rs. 72,979 and Rs.94,443) per month, but that includes all bills. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

4/8

Adam Saez, a 26-year-old sports trainer who has lived in Old Oak for over a year, sees his rent as ‘an investment’. ‘I’ve not only made friends, but I’ve also done a lot of networking, so I’ve met lot of people that I now work with as well,’ he told AFP. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

Updated on Oct 21, 2017 2:03 PM

Adam Saez, a 26-year-old sports trainer who has lived in Old Oak for over a year, sees his rent as ‘an investment’. ‘I’ve not only made friends, but I’ve also done a lot of networking, so I’ve met lot of people that I now work with as well,’ he told AFP. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

5/8

Resident Sarah Sinigaglia, a 19-year-old Italian-Swiss student newly arrived in London, said, ‘it’s very easy to meet people’. ‘In the evening, you can go downstairs to the lobby or the bar, and there are lots of people like me who are alone’, she said. Majority of the current tenants are young people aged between 22 to 35 earning an average of £30,000 (Rs. 26,03,400 approx.) a year. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

Updated on Oct 21, 2017 2:03 PM

Resident Sarah Sinigaglia, a 19-year-old Italian-Swiss student newly arrived in London, said, ‘it’s very easy to meet people’. ‘In the evening, you can go downstairs to the lobby or the bar, and there are lots of people like me who are alone’, she said. Majority of the current tenants are young people aged between 22 to 35 earning an average of £30,000 (Rs. 26,03,400 approx.) a year. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

6/8

People are seen exercising at the gym area of the building. The co-living building also boasts of high-end facilities such as a spa, library, work room, restaurant and even a cinema, which is packed for evening screenings of the hit TV series Game of Thrones. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

Updated on Oct 21, 2017 2:03 PM

People are seen exercising at the gym area of the building. The co-living building also boasts of high-end facilities such as a spa, library, work room, restaurant and even a cinema, which is packed for evening screenings of the hit TV series Game of Thrones. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

7/8

A toilet sign is seen on top of the post boxes at the co-living building. Some rooms in the building have a tiny ensuite bathroom with a small wash basin placed almost over the toilet. In others, the washroom areas are shared. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

Updated on Oct 21, 2017 2:03 PM

A toilet sign is seen on top of the post boxes at the co-living building. Some rooms in the building have a tiny ensuite bathroom with a small wash basin placed almost over the toilet. In others, the washroom areas are shared. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

8/8

The common restaurant area where people can easily meet each other at the Old Oak. The Collective, whose first shared building was funded by a ‘Singapore family’ for an undisclosed amount, is launching two other projects in east London. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

Updated on Oct 21, 2017 2:03 PM

The common restaurant area where people can easily meet each other at the Old Oak. The Collective, whose first shared building was funded by a ‘Singapore family’ for an undisclosed amount, is launching two other projects in east London. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP)

Related Photos

Home/Photos/News/Photos: Co-living, London’s Novel Trend Against Exorbitant Rents

© 2026 HindustanTimes