Airbnb recently expanded its home-share platform with a new design studio division known as 'Samara' with an aim to explore "new attitudes towards sharing and trust"—its first project is to introduce communal housing and a community center to revitalize a small rural town in Japan.
From the structure itself to the furnishings within it, the project in Yoshino, located in Japan's Nara prefecture, will take advantage of local materials, particularly wood from some of the country's best cedar forests. The communal house will include a shared living room, kitchen and a large dining table on the lower floor, as well as bedrooms on the upper level.
Following this project, Airbnb has plans to bring this model to other small towns across the world that could be even better with new life breathed into them.
Communal Housing Centers
Airbnb's 'Samara' is Launching Housing and a Community Center in Japan
Trend Themes
1. Communal Housing - Opportunity for creating shared living spaces that promote community engagement and trust.
2. Local Material Utilization - Opportunity to use locally-sourced materials for sustainable and authentic design.
3. Rural Revitalization - Opportunity to revitalize small towns and bring new life to local communities.
Industry Implications
1. Hospitality - Disruptive innovation opportunity for incorporating communal living spaces into traditional accommodation services.
2. Architecture & Design - Opportunity to create innovative and sustainable structures using locally-sourced materials.
3. Real Estate - Opportunity to invest in and develop communal housing projects aimed at revitalizing rural areas.