Kinplace

Reimagining shared housing as a space for intergenerational connection & mutual care.

ROLE
Service Designer

SKILLS
User Research, Concept Development, Service Blueprinting, Stakeholder Co-creation

TIMELINE
Feb 2025 -> July 2025

TEAM
Kate Winbaum

Living Together, Better.

Kinplace explores how intergenerational living can reshape the way we care for one another. By connecting people of different ages through intentional co-living, Kinplace reimagines home as a shared ecosystem of support—fostering belonging, empathy, and everyday care that strengthens the fabric of community life.

Background & Context

A Growing Divide

Three forces are quietly reshaping how we live in the UK today: ageing, housing, and care. Each on its own poses a challenge, but together they reveal a widening gap between generations. People are living longer, yet increasingly apart.


Ageing

As the population grows older, the distance between generations is also increasing. Older adults are living longer, yet often in isolation from younger people.

As generations drift apart, opportunities for connection, empathy, and shared experience are fading.


Housing

Housing inequality has deepened this divide.While some homes sit half-empty, others struggle to find affordable or stable places to live.

The gap between generations is not just social, but spatial.


Ageing

As families become more dispersed, our care systems are struggling to keep up. Many older adults do not receive the care they need, while the “sandwich generation” finds themselves stretched thin between caring for ageing parents and raising children.

Without stronger intergenerational relationships, the burden of care will only grow heavier.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

Failing to address these challenges will widen generational divides, deepen loneliness, and make it harder for communities to thrive together.

Cultural Analysis

As generations in the UK grow more divided, we began to ask: how do other societies stay connected across age? What might we learn from places where intergenerational connection is woven into everyday routines and ways of living?

These examples helped us see that connection across generations can be designed into daily life itself. It happens when we make space for shared living, purpose, and care.

Our Research & Insights

To understand what was standing in the way of intergenerational connection in London, we spoke with people across ages. This included homeowners with spare rooms to young adults seeking stability. We also consulted experts in housing, care, and intergenerational practice, which led us to the following:

3 key insight areas

01. Structural Challenges

The mismatch between housing needs and available resources, alongside an overburdened care system, creates barriers across generations.

These structural gaps limit opportunities for support, leaving both generations without the stability and resources they need.

02. Intergenerational Connection & Wellbeing

People of different ages are curious about one another but rarely meet, which reinforces loneliness and misunderstanding.

When connections do happen, they improve mental and emotional wellbeing for everyone involved.

03. Relational Dynamics

Living together works best when people have choice, autonomy, and clear boundaries.

Relationships thrive when both parties feel in control, invested, and able to define how they share time, space, and support.

These insights point to a bigger question:

How might we design living experiences that enable people of all ages to form lasting, reciprocal relationships while feeling empowered to shape how they live together?

Our Solution Strategy

Kinplace

Rebuilding Connection Through Shared Homes

Kinplace is a matching service that connects homeowners with spare rooms to people seeking affordable housing, addressing the structural gaps in housing and care while rebuilding intergenerational connection.

By bringing people together across life stages, Kinplace creates homes where generations exchange skills, stories, support, and companionship, turning underused space into shared opportunity. These relationships are rooted in trust and mutual benefit, and the homes evolve with people’s changing needs, creating a sustainable model for connection and support.

A Blueprint for Belonging at Every Stage of Life

People can tap into Kinplace at key moments—moving out for the first time, starting a family, downsizing, or entering later life—and take on different roles depending on what they need and what they can offer.

Because these needs and contributions naturally vary by life stage, matches often pair people across generations, creating relationships that are both reciprocal and mutually enriching. Kinplace grows with its participants, providing opportunities for connection, shared support, and community throughout life.


Key Personas

Whether you’re a newcomer, a young family, an empty nester, or an elder, Kinplace creates a space where housing, care, and community coexist.

Each persona taps into Kinplace differently, reflecting how people contribute and receive support at various stages of life.

How it Works

Kinplace isn’t digital-first, it begins in the community. Local hubs like cafés, churches, and centres act as welcoming entry points where people can learn about shared living and get support joining the service. The digital platform makes this process accessible for everyone, allowing for users to set up their own profile online or receive the help of a staff member at The Hub.

User Journey: What Kinplace Looks Like in Action

This journey illustrates what Kinplace looks like in everyday life. It maps how people discover, join, and build shared lives through small but intentional steps of support through small daily interactions.

Crawl, Walk, Run

Growing Kinplace Over Time
Crawl – Lay the Foundations

We begin by establishing community hubs where intergenerational connection can grow naturally. These spaces host casual interactions, introduce the idea of shared living, and help people explore what Kinplace offers. Early outreach engages local councils, housing associations, and community partners to build momentum.

Walk – Test and Learn

Next, we pilot the service with a small number of shared living matches. The focus is on pairing people, supporting routines, and nurturing relationships. Feedback from these early matches helps us refine the service and ensure it works in practice.

Run – Scale with Intention

Finally, we expand the full Kinplace experience. By partnering with organizations like HomeShare UK, we reach more people while maintaining credibility and trust. Sustainable funding and investment ensure that intergenerational living can grow as a lasting part of the housing and care ecosystem.

kinplace

A Model for Intergenerational Living in London

Kinplace shows how intergenerational living can become a practical reality for London. By helping people share homes and daily life, it creates meaningful bonds across generations through mutual care and shared responsibility.

Kinplace envisions a future where intergenerational living is not a niche experiment in Western cultures, but a social infrastructure that supports people at every stage of life.