Housing solutions
that cultivate co-living

Eiffage Immobilier and Récipro-Cité, a social engineering company specialised in intergenerational diversity, have joined forces to develop Cocoon’Ages, a concept aimed at uniting different generations living in the same location in a bid to foster social cohesion, assist the elderly and increase spending power through mutual aid.

The Cocoon’Ages concept revolves around two fundamental principles:

1 - Architecture designed to promote social interaction

• Convenient and adapted to the needs of seniors: close to public transport networks, services and shops, improved lighting, videophones, automatic doors and gates, etc.
• Scalable housing for all age groups and prolonged autonomy within the home.
• Spacious areas designed to promote sharing and daily exchanges.
• Modular and multi-usage common spaces to bring residents together for shared meals, film screenings, board games, fitness activities, etc.

Depending on the specific setting, Cocoon’Ages may also feature:

• Shared garden space
• Modular housing units to make it easier for different generations to live together
• Shared transport to simplify mobility for residents.

2 - Daily activities coordinated by a manager-facilitator

An essential part of the Cocoon’Ages concept are the activities proposed by the manager-facilitator for residents, which include:

• Arranging and supporting resident initiatives such as sports clubs, gardening and DIY workshops, mutual aid, etc.
• Providing support for the frail (visitor frequency monitoring, contact with medical and social services).
• Fostering a sense of community and getting residents actively involved in the upkeep of their building.

Eiffage Immobilier devises turnkey Cocoon’Ages solutions for regional authorities in line with their needs. Each scheme is set up on the basis of input by all stakeholders, elected representatives, architects, investors, lessors, residents, etc.

The Kolocations à Projets Solidaires (KAPS) mutual aid co-living scheme offers a fresh approach to student housing by offering young people the opportunity to get involved in socially-responsible projects led by and for people in their neighbourhood. In exchange for their commitment, they are given access to quality lodgings, at reduced cost, close to their school or university.

Eiffage Immobilier sees KAPS projects as a means to encourage strong community spirit. They foster kinship among people in working-class neighbourhoods and promote social cohesion. They also fulfil the need for student housing. It is for all these reasons that, in 2016, Eiffage Immobilier became involved in this type of project in partnership with Association de la Fondation Etudiante pour la Ville (AFEV), a student association committed to making a difference in cities.

AFEV carries out preliminary research to analyse the social and urban context, defines the project with urban planners and selects the students who will benefit from the scheme. Eiffage Immobilier then builds or rehabilitates the designated housing units, identifies owners and/or managers and rallies its partner network. Each stage of the project is carefully monitored by a team of experts in regional planning and development.

All KAPS projects aim to contribute to co-living through initiatives such as reclaiming public space, food distribution, career guidance for challenged youngsters and cultural events. Eiffage Immobilier offers financial support by covering part of the salary earned by the AFEV project manager.