RE: Normative definitions of cohousing | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Rob Sandelin (floriferousemail.msn.com) | |
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 11:05:59 -0600 |
In my opinion, of which you have all heard lots of and probably tired of by now, is that the core question to ask is: What makes cohousing different than other condos? There are condos built in my area that by site design, are like cohousing. They have pedestrian orientation, a commonhouse (although not designed as an eating center, but could be made so) pathways, even the picnic tables on the grassy commons which each unit views. These places on paper would be reasonably well designed cohousing developments, in practice they are not cohousing. Why not, whats the difference? The people who live there are strangers to each other, and have little interest in changing that. To me, a key part of Cohousing is: The intent is to enhance community amoung people who are neighbors and to create relationships amoung themselves that are supportive and mutually satisfying. It is not about architecture, although some architects argue vehemently with me about this. Yes, architecture can enhance the relationship building,and a good site design will support the social efforts and intentions of the residents, but it does not create the intent to do so, and the intent is, in my opinion, the first key to defining cohousing. Then, other elements can be used to contrast it to other kinds of community endeavors, for example, private home ownership,personal privacy, independent incomes, commonhouse and other shared resources, community meals, resident designed, democratic process, etc. Of course, all these secondary definitions can be tweaked and blended around, and if you are missing one or more of them you can still be cohousing. Another way to look at this is to ask: Why do people join cohousing? The answer almost always comes back to the search or desire for social relationships. There are lots of other attractive things, but in my experience from answers that dozens and dozens of cohousing wantabes give, the common denominator, and the main attraction, is social, not structural. Rob Sandelin Northwest Intentional Communties Association Building a better society, one neighborhood at a time
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Normative definitions of cohousing Tim Behrend, February 26 1999
- RE: Normative definitions of cohousing Rob Sandelin, February 27 1999
- Re: Normative definitions of cohousing Fred H. Olson, February 27 1999
- Re: Normative definitions of cohousing Fred H. Olson, February 28 1999
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