Cohousing-L Mailing List: Questioning cohousing ideals

[lance millward (millwardl]

I am a landscape architecture student from New Zealand.  I have been in
contact with many on the list relating to a research paper  I was doing
on cohousing.  I am now designing a conceptual community linked to a
language school, swimming complex and fields in my community.

My lecturer is an urban designer WHO QUESTIONS THE POINT OF COHOUSING
AND DISBELIEVES ANYTHING I TRY AND SUGGEST TO HER ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF
CLOSER COMMUNITY.

This is a plea for help!!!!!

Please, please, please reply to these quesitions so I can clarify the
issues with her.

1.    How do you justify separating cars into central carparks on the
perimeter of a community?  Issues of access to the homes, weather etc
seem to preclude having perimeter parking in her mind.

2.    How do clusters of houses help to improve closer relations between
residents and how do you still promote the wider public using your
assets?

3.    What form would a common house take if you were attempting to
provide a restaurant, common eating, laundry, conference rooms and
apartments for short stay residents?  I have designed a three story arc
shaped building with apartments above conference rooms about more shared
assests like restaurant and community dining.

4.    The rythmn of the street relies on buildings having a prescribed
setback from the street [supposedly].  By clustering my buildings and
facing them toward the local river, I have turned my back on this
'streetscape'.  How do you address this change of rythmn and change of
ownership of space [balance of public and private space has been
altered].

I have done considerable research into these things but there don't seem
to be any real justifications for them beyond 'that is what has worked
previously'.  I am aware that models of cohousing have been developed
over more than thirty years; but find it frustrating that i can't find
anything to justify using these techniques of closer community.  I have
a strong belief that they are better than what suburbia has to offer,
but need proof in some form.

I have sent very few emails to the list trying to only send the most
vital ones; again Im begging here for some people to respond with some
helpful personal comments, rather than books I should read as I only
have a month befor my project is due.

Sincerely

lance millward
landscape architecture student