Design's Impact on Cohousing
From: Harry Pasternak (Harry_Pasternaktvo.org)
Date: Sun, 20 Aug 1995 22:03:51 -0500
For those interested in the issue of how the design can have a positive or
negative impact on peoples use of common spaces and buildings in a cohousing
neighborhood, you might read Stewart Brand's (creator of the Whole Earth
Catalogue, Whole Earth Review, The Well etc. etc.)
 "HOW BUILDINGS LEARN-What happens after they're built",
 published by Viking 1994, ISBN 0-670-83515-3. 

The book is based on a considerable amount of research, as well as a number
of interviews. I believe that any group considering designing and  building a
cohousing neighborhood could avoid a number of headaches by having at least
one of the members read the book in advance of the design process. It would
be especially useful for a group that was considering hiring an architect to
do the designing. It gives a good overview on how to evaluate potential
architects.

One of Brand's primary notions is to utilize "scenarios"approach in the
design process, so that future change of the cohousing neighborhood would be
possible and relatively straight forward, when and if required. 

Harry Pasternak
Thousand Islands Institute

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