Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Questioning cohousing ideals

[RowenaHC (RowenaHC]

In a message dated 9/7/00 1:48:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
millwardl [at] xtra.co.nz writes:

> .    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.

Ours is an urban community and we have underground parking so that we can use 
the surface for playing and planting!    More generally, however, the intent 
is to get people walking around the site and running into each other 
informally.   For the same reason we have a central mailroom and notice 
boards.  Looks of casual interaction there.
>  
>  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?
>  
When I sit on my balcony or step outside my house I'm quite likely to see a 
neighbor and have a quick word.  We also keep an eye out for each others' 
children, take in packages, water plants and feed pets during vacations - all 
of which are facilitated by close proximity.
We don't encourage public use of our property.  To the contrary, we each 
regard the entire property as "our yard."

>  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
>  assists like restaurant and community dining.
You probably don't want to get into such things as restaurants and conference 
rooms for zoning and tax reasons.   Our living room and diningroom/kitchen 
areas get used for meetings of groups to which members belong, as well as for 
family reunions and such like.   We have a couple of guest rooms which are 
used primarily by family members of residents who don't have a lot of room or 
who do have a bunch of small children!   These facilities, along with a 
recreation room, laundry, bike room etc. etc. are in the central building 
below a four-story apartment building.  We are urban!>  
>  4.    The rhythm 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].
>  
You're the architect-  create a different rhythm!   Look at some of the 
pictures on the cohousing network site.  Think of pictures you have seen of 
villages in England and Europe!

>  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.

What do you need for justification other than that it has worked!
>  
>  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
>  
>  
>