Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Common House Theory

[Rob Sandelin (floriferous]

A good way to collaboratively design your commonhouse is to program the
activities that you do, or wish you were doing, prioritize that list, then
design your spaces to accomodate that list of activites. Be sure to
prioritize that list well, because most groups find they have less money
than they have desires.

The spaces you create will determine the success of their use. For example,
a reading room with a cosy fireplace and couches, a nice rug, the daily
newpapers laying about on coffee tables, with homey lighting will attract
use. An empty room, with a bunch of old college text books on a shelf, with
poor lighting and folding chairs will not attract much use.

One thing that gets missed often is the influence of noise level on
participation and activites. The noise of 15 kids in active play can
influence the use of the surrounding spaces. The noise of 40 people, all in
one space, can influence the use of the surrounding spaces.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood, where I've stopped attending community dinners because its too
loud.