VISIT OUR NEW SHOWROOM IN LONDON. FIND OUT MORE HERE.
Share
With the growing transformation of traditional family structures and an increasing number of single-parent households, isn’t it time housing evolved in response? Commune, in partnership with Cutwork, the pioneering architecture and design studio building new ways to live and work, introduces an innovative solution to the changing dynamics of family living.
Commune isn’t just a living space; it’s a support system. The vision at Commune, brought to life by Cutwork, is to embrace the growing segment of single-parent families, acknowledging the inherent strength, resilience, and unique needs of this community. While co-living as a concept has existed for some time, single-parent families stand to benefit immensely from such a setup, gaining mutual support and camaraderie from fellow single parents.
Kelsea Crawford, co-founder and CEO of Cutwork explains, “At Cutwork, we envision a world where shared architecture and design inspire us to think differently about being together, and our partnership with Commune perfectly encapsulates this mission. We’ve considered the design for each part of the Commune experience, integrating compact living spaces designed to host parents and children with shared communal areas that promote a strong sense of community and support for single-parent families. Working together with Commune enables us to redefine the living standards for this frequently ignored and deeply underserved demographic.”
Understanding the unique challenges and joys of single parenthood, Commune provides an environment where single parents can find solace, support, and community. In designing the building, Cutwork has created three distinctive ‘worlds’ within each space –
The Nuclear Family’s Transformation
Today, the relevance of the nuclear family is repeatedly coming into question. David Brooks’ thought provoking cover feature, ‘The Nuclear Family was a Mistake’ published in The Atlantic, covers an array of societal challenges and argues that the nuclear family has been crumbling in slow motion for decades.
In France alone one in four families is a single parent unit with 24% of children from single-parent families living in “overcrowded” housing, where at least one room is missing from what is regarded as the necessary number. Data from The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), who frequently examine family structures and dynamics across member countries, reinforces this, showing an upward trend in divorce rates.
However, it is not solely about divorces; the OECD also reported a decline in the number of marriages overall, reflecting how many individuals are now consciously choosing single parenthood or opting not to have children with a partner. The analysis also shows how single-parent families are among the most exposed to the cost of living crisis [1] with an average drop of 25% in their standard of living one year after separation resulting in a much higher than average potential for insecurity.
Much of this deterioration in living conditions stems from the challenge of rehousing, underlining again the clear need for affordable accommodation. This changing dynamic calls for a new and sustained approach to housing. While the first Commune sites will be in France this is a concept set to revolutionise single-parent living worldwide.
Addressing the “Epidemic of Loneliness”
Loneliness is a growing concern in our global society and parents, especially single parents, frequently testify to feeling this more acutely. A study by the British Red Cross [2] found that more than eight in 10 mothers (83%) under the age of 30 had feelings of loneliness some of the time, while 43% said they felt lonely all the time. Another survey found that 90% of new mothers felt lonely since giving birth, with over half (54%) feeling they had no friends.
Single parenthood further exacerbates this and in France for 82% of single families it is the mother who raises the children. Commune provides a sanctuary where single parents, both mothers and fathers, don’t just live but thrive, surrounded by a supportive community that truly understands their life experiences and the challenges they face.
A Global Collaboration with Cutwork
Commune collaborated with Cutwork in recognition of their unparalleled experience in designing innovative living spaces and the furniture within it. From the meticulously crafted interiors which are thoughtfully conceived to evolve for the different needs of parents and children, to the overall Look and Feel of the brand applicable to all future sites, every inch of Commune echoes Cutwork’s award winning expertise.
As a result, Cutwork has created an environment that feels both modern and comfortable with child friendly designs that sit alongside a sleeker aesthetic suited to parents. Using one colour and material palette throughout results in the sense of a welcoming unified home rather than strong divisions made between public and private spaces.
This design strategy also extends the notion of ownership of all spaces and subsequently the feeling that the entire house/building belongs to each user and is a stable environment within a dynamic experience.
As Tara Heuzé-Sarmini, co-founder and CEO of Commune, enlarges, “Commune and Cutwork are convinced that we need to put human relations and interactions back at the core of the places we evolve in, and that buildings need to serve our basic need for connection. Spatially and architecturally, we have translated this into living spaces that encourage encounters and break the vicious circle of loneliness, while preserving the privacy of single parents and their children. The Commune residences are one piece of a more sustainable and desirable world, and we can’t wait to roll them out in France and around the world!”
Universal Affordability
Commune, which opened its first site in Paris in December 2023 welcoming 14 families, aims to ensure that its accommodation is accessible to everyone while maintaining the ideas of dignity; equality; and solidarity at the heart of what it does. Offering extremely competitive pricing in key urban locations, Commune aims to support and facilitate single-parent families in finding a new and sustainable balance.
Compact modular private units, available for one or two child single-parent families, combined with shared spaces as well as playful hidden areas open to children or parents, mean that Commune is a constantly adapting and adaptable space. The introduction of an on-site speakeasy bar is not just a nod to modern leisure but a means to ensure that parents have a chance to relax and socialise without stepping out of their safe cocoon while spaces for homework, after school clubs and birthday parties mean children have friends around them at all times.
A typical Commune residence will have between 25 to 50 private units, featuring a minimum of two bedrooms, as well as an independent bathroom and kitchenette, alongside spacious common areas including a fully furnished kitchen, dining and living room, a multi-purpose playroom, a co-working space, and a communal garden space.
Commune, elevated by Cutwork’s thoughtful designs, defies the stigma so often attached to single-parent families and offers a flexible supportive solution to urban living in the 21st century.
About Cutwork
Cutwork is a Paris-based architecture design studio focused on new ways to live and work. They design adaptable interior spaces, modular architecture, and custom furniture for pioneering companies who are reimagining our next urban era.
Projects include Flatmates, the first large-scale coliving space in Paris, Station F, the world’s largest startup campus, Polyroom, a Red Dot Award-winning coliving brand developed for Bouygues Immobilier, Commune, the first coliving residency in the world designed for single parent families and the Cortex Shelter, an innovative just- add-water refugee housing solution.
The company was named among the top 30 “CleanTech” companies in Europe in 2018, delivered a TEDx on ‘the future of shared architecture and urbanisation in 2019, and received a FRAME Award for Societal Innovation of the Year, becoming the youngest studio to ever win a FRAME.
Website: cutworkstudio.com
About Commune
Commune is an avant-garde co-living space, designed specifically for the evolving needs of single-parent families. As the world changes, so should our living spaces. Commune is a testament to this belief.
Born in Paris in 2021, Commune’s mission is to offer a turn-key and affordable housing and service solution, fully designed so that single parents and their children can live and grow. The first residence opened at the end of 2023 in the Paris region in presence of the Minister of Families, the second one is due to open its doors at the end of the summer 2024 in Roubaix, in the North of France, and the company’s ambition is to open 500 Communes worldwide in the next 10 years.
Sources
TAKE A LOOK AT ANOTHER INTERESTING PROJECT HERE.
LATEST NEWS
New interviews and introductions are published weekly, each offering insight and advice into the design & art industries, talking from their unique experiences. We chat with emerging and established interior designers, brand founders and artists.
Immerse yourself into the inspiring brand stories from next generation brands and creatives, along with recommended events and reviews to spark new creative ideas.
Sign up to our newsletters and we’ll keep you in the loop with everything good and important going on in the worlds of design, art and independent retail.
By subscribing you agree to receive updates from ESTILA. We will not share your data with any third parties. Read our full privacy policy here.
