Sant Feliu de Guíxols opens Catalonia’s first cooperative housing for seniors

The Walden XXI project in Sant Feliu de Guíxols has launched as Catalonia’s first cooperative housing initiative specifically designed for the elderly. Driven by the Sostre Cívic cooperative, the project involved the transformation of a former hotel into a collaborative residential space intended to combat loneliness and promote personal autonomy.

The rehabilitated building features 31 living units for approximately 40 residents. It combines private housing with 800 square meters of shared spaces, including a communal kitchen and dining room, a library, a laundry room, multipurpose rooms, workshops, and an interior garden designed to encourage social interaction.

Under the ‘use-right’ (cessió d’ús) model, the cooperative retains ownership of the property, ensuring residents have stable rights to live there at cost price while protecting the housing from real estate speculation. The project received financing from entities including Caixa Enginyers and Fiare Banca Ètica.