Cohousing-L Mailing List: Eight Foot Sidewalks

[J . Massengale (J.Massengale]

My comment about eight-foot sidewalks was made in response to a post that was
advocating cohousing-type spaces for other types of housing. That's something
I, and most North Americans, disagree with. In fact, I'd like to see
cohousing take on more generic, traditional town and city form, which I think
will better stand the test of time.

Some cohousing has taken on that form, of course, but nevertheless that's
still probably a statement which needs quite a bit of explanation in this
forum. Unfortunately, I'm swamped with work and am signing off for a while.

Briefly, what I'm talking about is shown in a place like Rome, "The Eternal
City," which has a classic urban form that has stood the test of time and
countless different uses. The architectural equivalent is their palazzo
paradigm -- the palazzo being a building type with classically organized
rooms which are remarkably non-specific for use. Which is precisely why they
work as well today, and inspire us well, as they did 600 years ago.

In America we changed the model quite a bit, but we still have time-tested
urban and rural models which function well century after century. I question
whether many of the very specific co-housing models will stand up as well in
a century or two. Many of the public spaces, it seems to me, rely on the fact
that cohousers are SO eager to make their communities work that they actively
embrace features which actually could prove to be problems.

That's probably not long enough to explain my thoughts well. If anyone's
interested in talking about this, we can do so in a few months.


John Montague Massengale, AIA
Architect & Town Planner
Underpaid Professional Who's Put In Years Of Unpaid Time Helping to Advance
the Cause of Community Building and Who's Remarkably Good at Providing
Commoditas, Firmitas AND Venustas -- Function, Structure and Beauty -- To
Stir the Soul.