Tired of shopping, waiting in line for dinner or a friend who is late? Just looking for some “we time” with your loved one? Now Nanjingers have the chance to buy a little personal privacy in so called “shared space” cubes in the city’s Xianlin part of Qixia District.
Going by the name of ROM (共享空间), two colourful cubes have recently appeared next to the central square of Xianlin’s Dongchenghui mall (仙林东城汇), placed together with mini KTV booths, shared video games and sample purchase machines.
The cubes’ outer walls are clearly labeled with usage steps. The Nanjinger selected a room randomly, scanned the QR code then followed the instructions.
First, follow the official WeChat account for the shared space. After landing on the home page, click “unlock and check in” and enter the code as specified by the instructions. The Nanjinger selected the 30-minute option, after which our smart phone displayed, “Unlocking…”; the door of the shared space could be opened seconds thereafter.
RON charges ¥17.9 for 30 minutes of use. At timeout, the rate becomes ¥0.6 per minute. Alternatively, the room can cram in three to five people at ¥8 per person per hour. Occupying only about 3 square metres, the cube also manages to accommodate a beige, fabric sofa with two brightly striped colourful cushions, table and TV, and comes equipped with an operating manual, message book and pen, as well as playing cards and games such as chess or “Gobang” (五子棋). On the health and safety front, there is a safety hammer and fire extinguisher, as well as a central air conditioning panel.
Closing the door and sitting on the sofa, watching TV with your friends or appreciating the scenery through the window does indeed induce feelings of isolation from the outside world. A warm white light also gives the small room a cosy vibe.
The publicity information for the shared space states that its functions mainly include parent-child companionship, dating, class reunions and taking a rest on trips. According to The Nanjinger’s observations, many people stop by to see what it is, while out-of-work hours are more sought after.
On the dating front, this interesting little box provides sanctuary from the traditional Chinese family structure that sees young people stay at home with their parents until they are married. Share a takeaway with a boyfriend or girlfriend by all means, just don’t forget to take out the trash.
