Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Re: Anti-Social Buildings & Neighborhoods

[Harry Pasternak (Harry_Pasternak]

Joyce

Ok, so you don't want to guess. I thought maybe someone would suggest EST or
some other process. However, the changes were made to the first floors of the
apartments buildings:

-Doors were installed into all the units on the first floor, so the people
living in those units could exit and enter their apartments direct (didn't
have to go thru the lobby).

- Each ground floor unit received a garden/lawn, adjacent to their unit,
about 10 foot deep by the width of the apartment.

- Each garden/lawn was roofed over, with a sloping roof.

- Each person living in these ground floor units started outdoor activities,
gardening etc.

That's it..... What you say! That can't be! It's not as easy as that? Is it?

If people are comfortable in a space, they feel safe....if they feel safe
(and feel their personal boundaries are intact) they will make themselves
available by sitting, standing, or by doing activities in the semi-public and
public spaces ....they "Present" themselves. 
Then its usually just a matter of time before someone will make they effort
at verbal or non-verbal communications. The first step in developing
friendships....naturally propinquity (sp?) and other elements are also
important.

So what happened was that the folks on the first floor units started to
garden, so all of a sudden there were people present a lot of the time in the
common spaces...so people would stop by to admire the flowers and compliment
the gardeners.......then the gardeners and visitors would start to
talk......etc.   etc.   etc.. All of a sudden there were people socially
networking....which in turn caused the children to start using the spaces
which brought the parents down which....which.....which...

It's breaking the mold of  "nothing happens if nothing happens".

Just to make sure you understand, I am not advocating hi-rise
apartment/condo/cohousing/coop housing. When given a choice, its the least
wanted form of housing, if other choices are available. Its also the least
cost effective way (most expensive) of housing people when you consider all
costs (sewers, suicide prevention, policing etc.).

Harry

- sent via an evaluation copy of BulkRate (unregistered).