2023/07/13 MONEY WEEKLY
Co-living in the City: An Interview with Banana Coliving Founder Chen-Wei Yu
“In many of the world’s major cities, there’s this invisible barrier between people, and Taipei is no exception,” says Wilbur Chen-Wei Yu, founder of Banana Coliving, after a moment of reflection.
Beyond the high cost of living, social isolation is a chronic issue faced by many highly urbanized cities. It is against this backdrop that the concept of co-living has emerged, giving rise to the "co-living apartment."
In fact, this idea is far from new. Chen-Wei Yu first ventured into hospitality with Banana Hostel in 2012, a youth hostel promoting interaction and shared experiences. By 2016, during a period of transition, he began to channel the hostel's unique culture of interpersonal connection and communal living into the rental market, creating his vision of a co-living space.
2022/07/13 MOT TIMES
Banana Coliving Taipei’s new industrial-style co-living space “GRIN”!
Located on Jilin Road in Zhongshan District, GRIN is a new co-living space renovated by Banana Coliving from an old house in Taipei. The quiet alley is only a 5-minute walk from Songjiang Nanjing MRT Station. The five-story space includes 44 rooms, as well as a shared kitchen, leisure game area, coworking space, laundry and drying room on the top floor. Markets and activities will be held here from time to time, as well as joint projects with lifestyle brands such as One-day Tea Ceremony, Reading Life, and Unpackaged store. In addition, to consider the residents living abroad, it also provides monthly special daily necessities, furniture, Netflix, beer, etc. "Subscription system" services. Let the ordinary life outside of work also be rich and exciting!
2022/07/06 Marie Claire
The co-living space "Banana Co-Living" has entered Zhongshan District! Highlights such as rent, industrial style decoration, public facilities, etc.
You like to communicate with people, do you want to change the rental house? The co-living brand "Banana Coliving" opened its 8th base, less than 5 minutes away from the MRT station, commuting is super convenient!
Do you like to make friends and want to find a special rental house? In Zhongshan District, a new "co-living space" opened recently. In the renovated old house, many communication spaces and shared facilities are set up, breaking the public's established impression of renting a house in Taipei.
2022/07/04 Man's Fashion
Co-living space is on the way! Banana Coliving's new base is located in Zhongshan District, Taipei,
Realize high-quality living style!
Walking into the new space GRIN of Banana Coliving, the first thing that catches the eye is a floor-to-ceiling glass door that contrasts greatly with the surrounding quiet streets. A large space configuration map is pasted on the glass door, with orange neon light strips, as if telling the brand spirit of Banana Coliving "rebellious and elegant".
GRIN, located on Jilin Road, Zhongshan District, is the eighth co-living space that Banana Coliving has rebuilt through old houses after two years of preparation. The GRIN floor has five floors, of which 4 different room types and 44 houses are planned on the second to fourth floors; the top floor includes a shared kitchen, leisure game area, coworking space, washing and drying room, etc., with a shared space of up to 80 pings.
2022/07/03 CTWANT
The monthly rent of co-living apartments in Taipei starts from 11,000
80 ping public space, high-end kitchen appliances at your disposal
The renovation of old houses is underway. The co-living brand "Banana Co-Living" in Beishi and the established builder Yoshida Construction jointly invested in the renovation of the old house assets of Taiwan Fujifilm located in the alleys of Jilin Road. The eighth co-living space "GRIN" was completed in It was officially opened a few days ago. The floor area of the 5-story building exceeds 300 pings, but up to 80 pings are set aside as public space, equipped with a comfortable leisure environment and kitchen appliances, allowing tenants to start a new social circle through co-living in a comfortable and large space .
2021/07/11CTWANT
Can I try to live in a house before renting?
Co-living operators are the first to offer a free trial for 1 month
Many Beidiao workers go to work in other places. The first thing they have to face is the problem of renting houses. However, renting contracts are often signed for half a year or a year. situation. In recent years, there has been a trend of "symbiotic apartments" in Taiwan. In rented houses, most of the space is public space shared with neighbors. Young people can meet new friends through group living, and share resources and space. , can also reduce various expenses.
2021/07/07 Citing news
Is renting a house as subscription-based as watching movies online? Co-living operators are the first to offer a 30-day free trial
Founded in 2016, Banana Coliving is one of the well-known co-living brands in Taiwan. Currently, there are 7 spaces located in different locations in Beishi, with hundreds of tenants. The founder Wilbur said: "Our thinking logic is very simple. Because too many people suffer from the information asymmetry of renting houses, especially the housing prices in Taipei are so high, we hope that tenants can "check in first, then decide"; for all the advantages and disadvantages of housing, only You will only know if you have lived in it.” Therefore, such a service including water, electricity, and daily necessities is like “subscribing to life.”
2021/01/05 Apple Daily
Free rent within 2 months
Co-living operators promote the dream plan
Transformed from a youth hostel to a co-living brand "Banana Cohabitation", it has 7 bases in Taipei City. In order to attract new tenants, it launched a rent-free "seeing plan", which limits young people under the age of 30 to 2 months of stay If you achieve your own goals, such as getting out of the order or learning how to cook, the rent of 14,000 yuan for 2 months will be completely free. Even if you don’t reach your goal, you can stay at a discounted price, and the amount includes water. It includes electricity and even toilet paper. The owner said, "I hope that after such a hard year, it can give those young people with aspirations a little motivation to realize their goals."
2018/04/04 Haofang.com
From 5,000 yuan to live in a Nordic house next to the MRT! Shared apartments cannibalize the rental market
The so-called "shared apartment" originated from "Co-living" abroad, and it can also be called "Co-housing". In addition to sharing public space, tenants can also share life and communicate with each other, and the lease period is flexible. Most rent from one month, and when you get tired of living, you can find another "home" at any time. It is a good living experience for young people who like to make friends and try new things.
2017/11/05liberty times
[Taipei co-living is popular] Banana co-living: creating a big family with perfect space
"When "Banana Cohabitation Center" was established, I thought that many foreign tenants would live in, but I didn't expect this type of co-living to attract more Taiwanese than we expected!" Founders Lexi and Wilbur observed that many tenants came to I spent more than 10,000 yuan a month in Taipei, but what I rented was a house with small square meters, poor moving lines, and even leaking and stuffy. Not only did it lack the quality of life, but it was inevitable that I would feel lonely and boring when I came home from work. After moving into a co-living space, With the company of roommates, life after school and work is more colorful than ever.
2017/08/10 Normal University Youth Daily
Symbiosis Housing New Life
Rental space is more like "home"
In addition to college students and office workers, the tenants also include exchange students from Spain, the Netherlands, Panama, Singapore and other places. Usually, the tenants eat together and go out together, and they often hold barbecues, movie nights and other gatherings in the co-living space to connect emotions, and invite friends to participate together, and get to know people from different fields and countries. The tenant, Ms. Chen, mentioned: "After entering the workplace, the focus of life is only on work, and there is no other life circle after get off work." After joining the co-living life, I can meet many friends and have a richer horizon.
