Cohousing-L Mailing List: On-Line Collaborative Design

[Harry Pasternak (Harry_Pasternak]

On-Line Collaborative Design

Those interested in designing, On-Line in a Collaborative Team Fashion, the
"Affordable/Green/Dream" "Volkswagen" cohousing home, email me at
Harry_Pasternak [at] tvo.org

 The concept would be that the Collaborative Team would design this
"Affordable/Green/Dream" "Volkswagen" home for
collaborative/cooperative/cohousing neighborhoods as well as the neighborhood
itself--- that can be built anywhere in North America, either by conventional
general contracting, or by the inhabitants who self-contract (one form of
sweat equity), or by the inhabitants building it themselves (another form of
sweat equity), or a "Habitat for Humanity" approach, or, or., 

Everyone is welcome to join.

Here is a first draft suggested list for the design team's tasks:
- set a maximum size per unit.
- set a maximum size for neighborhood.
- set a maximum embodied cost per unit.
- set a maximum price per unit.
- design the unit. 
- design the neighborhood.
- complete material take-off for materials and labor.
- cost out the materials utilizing national material brokers.
- cost out labor costs by region.
- cost out energy costs for operating.
- cost out maintain/repair costs.
- analyze overall design re "creating community".
- etc.
- etc.
- produce a "report" (by video?) on all the info---any profits derived from
the video(or whatever) would be given to a non-profit organization doing
research in this field.

Naturally we will need to figure out the better way to do this electronically
and no, we don't have to do the whole thing instantly---maybe spend 1 to 2
hours/ week or so ---until its done. I will see if Jan Gehl, Janine Clay,
Bill Harris, Joe Velario, Mark Fisher and others are interested in joining
in.

Harry Pasternak
Unpaid Volunteer For "Do It Yourselfers" Who Need Proven Information On
Designing and Building Affordable, Frugally Operationally,  Supportive
Neighborhoods With An Abundance of Social Networking Opportunities, who works
at:
Thousand Islands Institute
The Independent Centre For Housing Research & Education


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