When we were younger, a few of us studied abroad back in the 1990s and early 2000s; some went to other European countries, yet others traveled to far-flung destinations around the world. We were the trailblazers for the current ERASMUS students, sleeping in shared apartments, people’s homes, and other types of accommodations, all while living on a tight budget. Those adventures took us to France, Finland, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and even outside the E.U. to countries such as Brazil or Japan, staying in different types of accommodation and in multicultural environments.
We did not have the technology or means to communicate that are available today, such as smartphones with mobile data and always-on internet. Sometimes it was really hot, and we suffered, sometimes a bit cold and we froze. We even may have lost the key to the door or had to share the common bathroom and shower facilities with our roommates. There were only a lucky few who had a desktop PC with an internet connection in their room or in the living room. And if they did, we had to take turns.
From those experiences and shortcomings, the idea for Cohausing was born—a means to offer young people who need to spend shorter periods of time away from home, either for studies or (vocational) training, the things that we lacked: a little more comfort, more privacy, and a lot more technology.
Years later, some of us are now professionals and digital nomads ourselves. The concept behind Cohausing is to put the “displaced” temporary resident into the center of the equation (keyword: customer centricity), offering accommodations for shorter stays outside the typical touristy places— in Valencia, a city in which you can live well, and in a neighborhood that just feels good, El Cabanyal.
Our values, both personal and professional, are closely aligned with continuous improvement, so we are constantly listening to suggestions and improvements proposed by residents, and incorporating them as far as possible. Likewise, we are committed to environmental protection, having installed a powerful, fully self-sufficient solar panel system on our rooftop. What’s more, we’re planning future improvements of a similar nature.
