Dezeen Magazine

"Generation Rent being told what they want again"

Comments update: co-living accommodation was hotly debated this week, as readers argued for and against shared living spaces in major cities where home ownership is no longer a reality.

Life for rent: entrepreneurs behind the "co-living" boom in cities such as London claim young people are drawn to the social lifestyle offered by shared accommodation, prompting some readers to set the record straight.

"We are forced to accept lower standards of living," protested a user calling themselves Young Londoner. "Generation Rent being told what they want again by those at the top with the most to gain from our limited opportunities!" agreed James.

Other readers fear the move towards shared apartments is a regressive one. "It sounds like some horrible purgatory, not somewhere where anyone would want to live," said one reader, while another described it as a "rebranding of the 19th-century boarding house."

However, some readers welcomed efforts to provide young renters with experiences as well as a roof over their heads. "Renting is the most flexible way of living and has the lowest financial threshold," said one commenter. "These co-living companies provide what regular landlords should provide." Read the comments on this story »


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2020 vision: four shortlisted logo designs for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been released for public scrutiny, after the original logo by Japanese designer Kenjiro Sano was scrapped following accusations of plagiarism.

"I wish they stuck with the previous design, it's so much more modern," said a user called Keikomirashi.

"It's like watching the Olympics of indecision," said Nick, referring to the ongoing stream of controversy surrounding Tokyo 2020. Read the comments on this story »


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Timber tower: a concept for London's first wooden skyscraper in the Barbican has divided readers, with some believing the design could interfere with the current skyline.

"It encroaches far too much on the real piece of architecture that is St Paul's," said Reuben.

However, others praised the design as a departure from concrete and glass towers in the city. "This is what all London towers should aspire to be," argued MatthewRead the comments on this story »


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Schoolboy error: Boston architecture students went on the defensive, after they wrote a letter outlining their "unacceptable" working conditions. Many took to the comments section to assure that their programme at Northeastern University is a good one.

"For the record, the university has been open and cooperative, and is actively working to find a solution," said one student.

But do conditions really matter? "We're told that the worse the architecture school building, the better the architecture school," another commenter said. Read the comments on this story »