CACTUS CO-LIVING
In the heart of Arona is located a Co-living initiative named Cactus co-living. It is situated in a fault between two rocks, in a hamlet of the municipality called Valle de San Lorenzo, around 3,5 kilometers east from Arona, found at an altitude of 500 m.
Generally, the co-living idea is a new way of living totally distinct from others: it is about sharing daily unforgettable experiences with other co-livers, in a common working and living environment. The proud owner Maria has over the past year transformed the house where she always grew up into a place of exchange and sharing for people who want to spend an extended period on the island in a stimulating living environment.
After having different functions over the years, the house had been unoccupied for a few years, but Maria’s bond with the house was more than that: a Cactus the same age as her lives there, whose roots were planted at her birth. This cactus, together with her grandfather’s vintage car, tell a piece of the house’s history and become a symbol of the house.
MORE THAN A HOUSE?
The potential of the house was perfect for the proposed co-living initiative: large outdoor and indoor spaces give temporary tenants the opportunity to share unforgettable experiences, deep emotions, and activities.
The house is surrounded by rocky and imposing landscapes, typical of the south of the island, which convey a feeling of tranquillity and serenity but also irrepressible inquisitiveness to hike and see what is ‘up there. In fact, you can clearly see the old Roque de Jama in front of you. The green spaces of the house are vast and relaxing, with a few trees and plants to take care of for those who are passionate about it or use it as a very useful escape valve for those who work on their computers all day and want to enjoy a bit of silence in their moments of relaxation.
The spacious interiors follow ‘sustainability standards’, everything has been recycled: all the furniture is either antique or donated by some friend who no longer needed it. The house has rooms for every need, from the largest with sofas and tables to share, to the smallest and most intimate. There are objects, games, and books of all kinds so that personal passions can be shared with co-housemates in common areas. Also, the smallest detail around is meticulously attended to and all are consistent with the Cactus name: there are cactus wallpapers and the names of the 17 rooms are of types of succulent plants.
The biggest transformation took place in the old well of the house, it was emptied and turned into the Bodega room, the perfect place where you can work in an always-fresh location. The room’s furnishings are detailed, it became the perfect place for a meeting or conference or just to share moments together. Moreover, Cactus coliving is following sustainable goals, against the consumption of plastic and using local products from local farms.
SHARED EMOTIONS
Sharing is important, it conveys the feeling of community that is the basis of co – living. The home may be a suitable space, but it is the people who give the sense of community.
Maria actively contributes to conveying the sense of community on a daily basis and by means of small gestures, e.g. a Polaroid photo is taken of each person who arrives and attached to a wall in one of the common rooms, captioned with their name and dates of stay. Maria’s role is very important in the house, together with her mother are the figures who facilitate co-living, and also take care of the organization of activities, which is very important for the mutual interaction between the temporary inhabitants. There are many activities proposed, like daily yoga, wine workshops, hiking, sharing meals, surfing, climbing, whale watching, beach clean-ups, trail running, farmer’s market, cycling, and others.
