Cohousing-L Mailing List: Gathering spaces

[Graham Meltzer (g.meltzer]

Rob writes

>So I would be interested in comments about gathering nodes.  What makes 
>them attractive?  What ways can people be drawn out of their houses 
>into the social public realm?  For me, I am not sure the width of the 
>sidewalk makes all that much difference in why people would come out of 
>their house - the key at least as I understand it would be the ablility 
>to see who is out there and encouraging them to linger.

I agree. And I don't think width has as much affect on the 'feel' of the
pathway as say, the surronding buildings and vegetation (high/low,
dense/light) and the microclimate they help create. In any case, I'd suggest
that rules of thumb are not very usefull (Harry) in discussing design issues
such as these. These matters are (or should be) very site, contour,
location, climate and user group specific.

Example: I am a claustrophobe, so generally feel most comfortable in places
that are generously proportioned and relatively open. Yet one of my
favourite housing schemes has narrow (about 8 ft) pedestrian paths with
thick overarching vegetation and houses close on both sides. What makes it
work is the relationship between the dwellings and the pathway and the way
the houses relate across the path.

They are row houses with a small entrance court and a great deal of glazing
to the front of the house which has all the semi-public spaces (kitchen,
living) and a fully glazed vestibule (about 10 ft x 8 ft). These are the
gathering nodes for this community which incidently is in Nth Germany where
the climate limits the value of fully external social spaces. The houses
face each other across the access path so lines of sight are established
(Robs point) between the houses themselves as well as with the public realm
(the pathway). People can see from within their house to the opposite
vestibule and to the people passing on the path. Those keen to chat simply
read a paper in their vestibule and most of the time someone will take up
the 'invitation'. 

So the nodes are not independent of the houses, but they provide much more
value I think, being attached to the dwellings. This quite public side of
the house is balanced with a very private rear courtyard where you can take
your paper if you want to read in peace. At the rear of this courtyard is a
separate, self-contained part of the house with its own access to a rear
lane. It can be used as office/study space or accommodation for teens,
elderly parents or vistors.

The scheme has much to recomend it and I'd recomend folks in the north of
the US and Canada in particular check it out. 

It's called Laher Weisen (is it the one your refered to John?), is in
Hanover and its well reviewed in an article 'Shared Adventure' by K.
Johaentages in the Architects Journal of September 10th, 1986. pp36-49.

Cheers
Graham Meltzer 

School of Architecture, Interior and Industrial Design
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
Tel:(07)864 2535(w)  (07)870 2090(h)  Fax: (07)864 1528

"The neccessity to unite with other human beings, to be related to them,
is an imperative need on the fulfillment of which, man's sanity depends" 
                 E. Fromm (The Sane Society(1965))