WHAT IS IT?
The Welcommon is a hostel that started out as a refugee hosting center in 2016 and later on was transformed into the current hostel and social center model.
This hostel includes a bar/restaurant where guests, volunteers and locals can meet, meeting rooms and halls for exhibitions, and workshops and spaces for cultural events.
WHY IS IT COOL?
- It gives purpose; two of its floors are dedicated to social empowerment, inclusion, job integration, non formal education, arts and workshops. The program is not simply meant to be for the refugees but with the refugees- working with them for their benefit, as well as that of the neighborhood and the local community. It has therefore a great social impact, especially for migrants, refugees and unemployed locals.
- It is sustainable, as its decoration is aesthetic and functional combined with reused materials. Moreover, all the lights are LEDs in order to reduce overall energy consumption; it has solar panels on the roof to produce hot water; and it reduces the waste of plastic materials, electricity, oil and CO2 emissions significantly with the energy, lighting and reuse of the materials.
- It has an inclusive design; completely accessible for disabled people, there is a special room for 3 to 4 disabled people, and the elevators, activity spaces and common areas are all accessible.
- It is the opposite of boring, as many activities are carried out in the Welcommon, among these: language lessons, painting and art classes, music, theater, cooking, puppet shows, painting for kids, dancing, walking tours, gardening, etc. Being a part of all these activities makes the loneliness epidemic fade away. The connections that you make at Welcommon are not superficial, on the contrary, they as authentic and human as you let them be.
WHY DOES IT HAVE FUTURE GROWTH POTENTIAL?
The philosophy of Welcommon is to be a part of a community, sharing ideas, culture and values. It does not distribute profits, nor does it belong to a big company. It creates jobs for young men and women with less opportunities, it is a center of green and social innovation. Its aim is the promotion of sustainable tourism, the green and social economy and innovation, the protection of the climate and the environment, the social inclusion and the dialogue of cultures.
Personally I would love to see this sense of community not only in other hostels, but also in hotels. I think that guests really appreciate it, especially the Generation Z and the Millennials.
If all the hostels and hotels around the world had the sense of community that Welcommon has, the world could be a much better place.
José Bonich Castaño
Alexa Alarcón Arratia
Science of the Time
Johanna Mau
Paola Nicole Galdámez Torres