Cohousing-L Mailing List: commonhouse design

[MerylD (MerylD]

Well after many years of frustration and failure, it looks like we are 
finally creating cohousing here in South Florida! We are working with a local 
developer to create a community of 32 units on 3.6 acres. We're planning to 
break ground within the year.

We are about to embark on commonhouse design; it will be about 3,000 sq ft. 
An earlier effort to create cohousing here included a 4,000 sq ft 
commonhouse. While we can use that somewhat as a model, I am hoping to get 
information from people who already have a standing commonhouse as to which 
rooms and room sizes are most important-- and most importantly, most used. 

I'd love to hear suggestions from you'all about how we should design the  
commonhouse, room-wise, and what sizes the rooms should be. We know we want a 
large kitchen and dining room, a kids play area, an adult media/reading room, 
and bathrooms. Some of us also want to do crafts and yoga regularly, but 
we're unclear whether a separate room will be needed, or whether the dining 
room easily doubles for those (perhaps with folding doors to make the larger 
room smaller?)? And are guest rooms an efficient use of space, or are we 
better off just having a Murphy bed in the media room? Also, how large should 
the kids' play area be? 

Thanks for  any input!

Regards,
Meryl 
_______________________________________________
Cohousing-L mailing list
Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org  Unsubscribe  and other info:
http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/cohousing-l