Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Architectural Review

[Dahako (Dahako]

Hi Sharon and all -

Eastern Village is working on a walkway policy for our outdoor balconies 
right now.  The point person for the policy is an architect with an eclectic 
eye 
for the artistic, so the group is pretty much trusting him for now.  It may be 
that since we are starting so early on this, it will be less of an issue 
later. The style he's recommending is sort of eclectic folk-art (we're in a 
state 
tax credit area for arts and entertainment, so we can purchase such art easily 
in the area).

The way we designed our courtyard space, there is no obvious way for first 
floor residents to expand their "territory" into community planted space.  And 
walkways and balconies allow only minimal room after allowing for passageway 
wide enough for a wheelchair. 

I gather someone is exploring how people with exterior doors can hang art on 
the outside wall next to them without damaging the building's skin.  Art is 
already appearing next to apartment doors that open into interior space.  For 
example, I hung a Mexican tiled mirror outside my door, facing into common 
space 
by the elevators, and someone on the fourth floor has a doormat, framed 
picture and a wreath outside their doorway.  

I think our idea is to try to have fun with this, and invoke our mediation 
policy if anything gets sticky.

Jessie Handforth Kome
Eastern Village Cohousing
Silver Spring, Maryland
"Where we're working on our first operating and capital budgets, oh my!"