A circle of people connected through the transmission of one's own "likes" and a new view that opens up when one looks into someone else's "likes".

Global Agents, which manages social apartments, is actually engaged in the hotel and restaurant businesses in addition to the rental business.

In the hotel business, we aim to provide travelers with the opportunity to experience local people and things, and local residents with the opportunity to feel closer to the world through interaction with travelers, under the concept of "Meet Local, Feel Global" in the style of an "exchange-style hotel".

When visiting the hotel lounge, hotel guests who are staying at the hotel can meet other hotel guests and users of the coworking facilities attached to the hotel in such a natural way that it doesn't seem like it is very first time, "Where are you planning to visit?" They are having conversations such as, "I recommend this place," or "I'm into this kind of thing now. The space is somewhat similar to the common area lounge of a social apartment where people, things, and events are connected, and there is a sense of comfort.

This time, we planned a collaborative event with The Millennials Shibuya, one of our hotel business facilities located in Shibuya. We held "SA×MLS CULTURAL FAIR" where the residents of the social apartments shared their "favorite culture" with each other!

This article reports on the event, which was full of smiles and interactions among the residents, performers, and exhibitors as they surrounded their "favorite things.

On Saturday, February 17, a total of 100 people gathered at the .andwork coworking space in The Millennials Shibuya, including mainly social apartment residents, friends of residents, hotel guests, and .andwork users.

The theme of the event was "art, music, fashion, food culture, craftsmanship," and other culture to express oneself. Social Apartment residents became performers and exhibitors themselves, and shared their own "culture" with passion.

A space where people naturally gather and connect as if surrounding someone's "likes

As you may have guessed from our past articles, the residents of Social Apartment have a variety of hobbies, interests, and special skills that make them very interesting. Some are absorbed in something, some have sensitive antennas and collect information on new things one after another, some are dexterous in acquiring new skills, and some have a wide range of knowledge and experience.

Since we have many such "interesting" residents living in our social apartments, we wanted to create a space where people could naturally gather around their "likes" and connect with each other.

Let's create a platform where people can more easily express their "likes. Although this was our first attempt, we were happy to receive a large number of applications immediately after inviting performers and exhibitors on "My Page," an application for residents only.

A total of 17 resident groups cooperated in this year's event by performing and exhibiting. There were three main categories: booth exhibits, performance appearances, and DJ appearances. For the booths, a wide variety of exhibitors offered food and beverages, photo exhibits, clothing sales, fortune telling, and more. For the performance slots, instrumentalists, singers, and street dance performers attracted the audience's attention, and the four DJs who performed at the DJ slots kept the venue lively with their own musical tastes throughout the event.

The moment when "firsts" take shape

Surprisingly, many of the performers and exhibitors at this year's event were showing or offering their own work to others for the first time. Even though they had been active in the past, this was the first time for them to actually exhibit or present their works in public, to share their thoughts and feelings, and to hear and feel the real voices of the people who saw their works. Since the event was hosted by Social Apartment and the residents were the main visitors, they decided to "give it a try" and had the courage to "communicate" in a way that was a first for them.

We were given a glimpse into the world of each artist's art, including works that captured precious moments, works that depicted Social Apartment residents as "movie characters," and works that combined photographs taken by the artists with computer algorithms!

A pastry chef resident shared the history of French pastries and the taste of the ingredients themselves through traditional pastries that have been handed down from generation to generation in France. A resident who is into baking and this time prepared cheese bread that goes well with alcohol. A resident who carefully brewed coffee using coffee beans with great care. A resident who brought us an authentic taste from Houston, a city of diversity and food culture. Delicious!" but also shared with us the story behind the food culture and flavor, which is not always easy to know.

TARROW TOKYO x SOCIAL APARTMENT residents' development "lounge wear" is also for sale.

The "Loungewear Project" was launched last April by the apparel company TARROW TOKYO and a team of tenants of Social Apartment Kamikitazawa. The sweatshirts, which were carefully designed from the viewpoint of social apartment residents, were completed after many trials and errors!

Many people spend a lot of time in the common areas of social apartments and are often confused about what to wear when they go to the common areas (lounge). This is the issue that many people have in mind when they go to the lounge, and we have developed lounge wear that is washable, comfortable, and looks good.

This time, the project team themselves shared their thoughts on the lounge wear that is filled with such feelings. The loungewear was well received by many of the residents, and was also very comfortable to the touch. The stock of loungewear prepared for the event was sold out on the day of the event!

Related article] A story about a resident who seriously made clothes with an apparel company vol.1 [Column].

DJ & Performance

DJ booths and a performance space were set up in the front of the venue, and while visiting the various booths that surrounded the venue, visitors were able to enjoy music and performances as well.

The DJs were all so cool that they could change the mood of the venue with their different tastes depending on their music selections and techniques! Some DJs nostalgically captured the hearts of the crowd with their nostalgic songs of the past, while others were particular about playing only songs that everyone knew and got the audience all excited at once. Others filled the venue with groovy remixes, modern city pop, and other comforting music.

Once the performance began, everyone's eyes were glued to the stage!

The five-hour event was filled with the passion for "culture" of all the performers and exhibitors, and it seemed to fly by so quickly!

This was the first "SA×MLS CULTURAL FAIR," and we are sure that there are many more "interesting" residents in Social Apartment! We look forward to meeting all of you who have such a variety of "likes" as "performers and exhibitors" at the second edition of the fair!

Editor's Postscript

The author has actually lived in a social apartment before. Looking back on my life there, I came to know and love sake, learned the joys of camping and sauna, and was taught how to handle fish (laugh). There were many times when I carefully and carefully shared someone else's "likes" and before I knew it, they had become my "likes" as well. I believe that the enthusiasm with which people talk about their "likes" has a mysterious power to attract others. As more and more people shared their "likes" with me, I was able to glimpse new worlds that I could not have reached on my own, and at the same time, I was able to immerse myself in those landscapes. I wonder what other "likes" are hidden in the "likes" that each resident has? Just thinking about it makes me excited.

I think there are many ways to cherish what you love, such as turning your "love" into a job, pursuing it directly, or continuing to be involved in some form or another. However, since it is something you have come to love, I hope you will continue to cherish it. Each person has his or her own way of cherishing what he or she loves, but as a member of Global Agents, which proposes new lifestyles, I would be happy to support such cherished "loves" of our residents in any way I can, just as I did at this event.

(Planning and text by Ito, photo by Uchida)