Re: Introverts in cohousing?
From: Raines Cohen (rc2-coho-Lraines.com)
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 2003 12:34:11 -0600 (MDT)
On 7/9/03 7:51 AM, Becky Logan <Becky_Logan [at] SpringerMiller.com> wrote:

>But the idea of my kitchen window opening onto a
>sidewalk where the world goes by and I need to wave or say hello as they do
>is almost apalling.

Just because this is a design principle of cohousing doesn't mean that 
this is the case for every unit. My Swan's (Oakland, CA) unit (and the 
mirror image unit of my neighbor there) both have front doors at the end 
of long (12 foot) connecting hallways (to accomodate the depth of the 
adjacent 2-story units within the spaces defined by the metal beams of 
our historic structure), ending in the underside of the stairs to the 
loft, so they are much less "in front of" the hustle and bustle of the 
Swan's Walk common interior courtyard walk. I found that if I left my 
door open I could hear people go by, but without eye contact nobody 
(other than neighbor's cats and the occasional small dog) would wander in 
without asking. My desk was over by the two 10'x10' windows, occupying 
the whole wall, so I was more likely to see people coming and going from 
the garage below and folks walking by on the sidewalk outside, in front 
of the convention center. It was a perfectly fine place to get work done 
without distraction, and if I wanted to interact with people I would take 
my laptop and use the wireless connection on the walk, or in the garden 
or Common House.

Most of the day yesterday at Berkeley I went out to a table on my 
Berkeley Coho porch to enjoy the sea breeze, and to say hi to folks 
coming and going; if I'm at my desk in our unit here I'm relatively 
invisible to passerby. Today I'm camped out under the shade of the big 
evergreen tree in front of the CH, with cordless phone and laptop getting 
lots done, briefly interrupted by the occasional neighbor.
 
Raines

Raines Cohen <my initials,2,dash,coho,dash,L at my first name .com>

  Member, Swan's Market Coho [Oakland, CA] <http://www.swansway.com/>
Where we're making a final punchlist, the architect is checking it 
twice...

  Secretary, Berkeley [CA] Cohousing
Where cats and infants are getting along swimmingly, imitating one 
another.

  Facilitator, East Bay Cohousing <http://www.ebcoho.org/>
Glad to see someone reads these signature lines... film at 11.

  Boardmember, Coho/US <http://www.cohousing.org/>
Reminding everyone that spaces are still available on the Bay Area 
cohousing tour this Saturday. Sign up in the News & Events section.

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