Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: kitchen and dining facilities

[IAN_HIG (IAN_HIG]

FROM> Hig, Cascade CoHousing, Tasmania

Cascade CoHousing comprises 14 homes and we expect 36 residents
(adults and children).  

The Cascade CoHousing common houe (which is still under construction and
should be usefull before midwinter) is built on 3 levels and has rooms with
the follow areas (NB 10 square feet is approximately 9 square meters).

Upstairs:       2 guest/quiet rooms and toilet          50  sq meters
Ground level    kitchen                                 25   "   "
                Pantry                                   3
                Kid's room                              20
                Storage room                             8
                Open plan dining + lounge area          90
                entrance                                10
                Laundry,bathroom,toilet,stairwell       25
Basement        Workshop                                45

Total area                                             275
                                                (approx 3025 square feet)

This was as large a building as we could afford to build, but we feel it will
be adequate for our needs. We aim to comfortably seat 15 to 20 people in our
regular dining area.  We will sit more closely or expand the dining area with 
extra tables on those occassions when we want to seat everyone.

We currently have a weekly common meal that is held in someone's home.
Typically 8 to 16 people attend including children.  (We have seven households
resident on site, but some offsite members attend too).  Three of our four
children under 4 YO have no trouble dining in this crouded situation, the 4th 
is a very active child who finds the lack of space limiting.

In the common house kitchen we are installing a 4 burner commercial gas stove
with one large oven.  This will probably be complemented by a
convection/microwave oven, and a griller. If we have a need for more burners
then we will use single bench top burners on flexible hoses that can be put
away when not in use.

We are looking forward to moving the common meals to the common house and 
discovering how well it fits our expectations.

regards  Hig

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Ian Higginbottom                                Ian_Hig [at] antdiv.gov.au
Cascade CoHousing
Tasmania, Australia
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