Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Policy Library

[Ann Zabaldo (zabaldo]

Hi all!

Architectural drawings are considered in the same category as art,  
books, records, etc.  They are copy protected works.

You would need the permission of the architect to use his/her  
drawings.  I'm sure the architect would be delighted to have his/her  
work used again for a royalty fee. And I'm sure this would be somewhat  
less than starting from scratch. You can buy DIY plans in this manner  
over the internet so I'm sure you can work out a deal w/ an architect  
to reuse his/her concept.  So if you see someone's work you like --  
write and ask!

AZ

Best --

Ann Zabaldo
Takoma Village Cohousing
Washington, DC
Principal, Cohousing Collaborative, LLC
Falls Church VA
703 663 3911

On May 3, 2010, at 5:53 PM, lcamundsen [at] shaw.ca wrote:

> Good idea! The architects would still be needed to adapt and advise.  
> It
> might make everybody's job easier and in some cases more affordable  
> compared
> to starting from scratch. I think we need not worry that  
> professionals will
> be excluded from their essential function in designing and building  
> our
> communities.Not all plans are transferrable.
>
> Camilla Amundsen
> Quayside Cohousing, North Vancouver BC
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Judith Bush" <jbush [at] together.net>
> To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 1:42 PM
> Subject: Re: [C-L]_ Policy Library
>
>
> > It is nice to feel the excitement build on the listserve before a
> > conference, even if you are not crossing the country to attend! The  
> > Policy
> > Library thread puts me in mind of the Open Source "attitude" that  
> > seems to
> > characterize the cohousing movement.  Putting things like by-laws and
> > policies on our websites testifies to that.  Now someone is  
> > offering to be
> > even more organized about it.  That's great.
> > One question in my mind: could there be an open source attitude about
> > house
> > blueprints?  Maybe there already is.  I'm struck when I look at  
> > community
> > websites, homes for sale, etc. at how similar in many basic ways our
> > buildings (units, common houses) are.  One of the things that  
> > drives up
> > the
> > costs of building and therefore the cost of homes is professional  
> > fees.
> > Spending a lot of time and energy in the design phase can be fun,  
> > but it
> > can
> > also be exhausting and ultimately expensive.  We want a mix of low,
> > middle,
> > and higher income people in our communities.  But we are often
> > unaffordable
> > to younger families, people working intentionally in meaningful but
> > low-paying jobs, etc.  Is sharing blueprints a piece of the  
> > solution?  (In
> > writing this, I worry  that I will be offending the wonderful  
> > architects
> > who
> > have essentially created a library of possibilities for cohousing.   
> > That's
> > not my intention.)
> > Anyway, perhaps the whole topic of Open Source could be a focus at a
> > future
> > cohousing gathering.
> > Judith Bush, Cobb Hill, Hartland, VT
> >
> >
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