Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Common function areas in neighborhoods?

[R Philip Dowds (rpdowds]

Architecture will not create community in the absence of intent to have 
community.

Philip Dowds

> On Aug 29, 2015, at 2:40 PM, John Sechrest <sechrest [at] gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> I believe if you look closely, there are many places that have common
> facilities that are not Cohousing groups. There are retirement homes,
> assisted living facilities, apartment complexes, Student Housing and more
> that provide common facilities.
> 
> However many of these places have the space, but not the community.
> 
> That is... They have created the "Form" but they have not created the
> "Function".
> 
> Specifically, I remember an apartment complex that we were looking at ,
> which had been newly built. It had a wide range "common facilities",
> including a "Movie Room", a Common Kitchen, Shared Laundry, and
> garden/public spaces.
> 
> However, the feeling of community was not there.
> 
> I suspect that you have to look beyond the facilities and space question ,
> into a deeper question of relationships and community. Sometimes, a shared
> space provides the function of nurturing and growing the relationships.
> 
> I remember times and places where there were local communities of friends
> who shared each others houses. Where the children of the whole block would
> wander thru several houses in the the course of a day. That was a place
> which held community, even when there was no shared facilities.
> 
> 
> 
> On Fri, Aug 28, 2015 at 9:43 AM, Richart Keller <richart.keller [at] 
> gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> Just a thought...
>> 
>> One of the most important aspects of cohousing is the Common House.  It is
>> a key facility which differentiates cohousing from other types of housing,
>> neighborhoods, and communities.  By providing facilities in which residents
>> interact in various ways--including the mailroom,  the kitchen/dining area,
>> meeting rooms, laundry room, playroom for kids, etc. etc.--it is an
>> important vehicle for building and sustaining social capital within the
>> community.
>> 
>> Are there ways in which such facilities could be provided within existing
>> or new neighborhoods or housing developments?
>> 
>> Perhaps this would expand opportunities for building community and provide
>> an alternative to forming groups who are not able to gather enough folks to
>> create a full-blown cohousing community.
>> 
>> Such facilities could also strengthen the sense of community in some
>> cooperative housing and other non-cohousing neighborhoods.  They might also
>> provide a way to strengthen affordable housing developments...
>> 
>> Rick
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Rick Keller
>> Pioneer Valley Cohousing
>> Amherst MA
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> 
> 
> -- 
> John Sechrest      .  Need to schedule a meeting :
> http://sechrest.youcanbookme.com
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