Cohousing-L Mailing List: The Common House

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

Reading something the other day I came across a reference that I 
thought applied to the common house and all our wishes for it. People 
seem to want something from it that is unfulfilled, usually expressed 
as wanting it used more.

This passage was about our lives revolving around three places -- home 
where we live and form intimate relationships, work where we earn our 
livelihood and contribute to the world, and a third place. That third 
place is different for everyone but it is a place "where everyone knows 
my name" -- like a bar, a club, a gym, etc.

I'm wondering if this is what many people want or expect the 
commonhouse to be -- like a club where there is always something 
happening or someone to sit around the fire with?

If so we might want to change our sense of the commonhouse to include 
more people -- more neighbors and relatives -- and different amenities. 
Not more formally scheduled functions but things that encourage hanging 
out -- snacks, television, pool tables, game tables, puzzles, etc. -- 
and less "big" kitchen or whatever. A multi-generational coffee house 
or pub.

This would change the financial structure of the commonhouse to a club 
or larger community center but would make cohousing more affordable, 
less exclusive, and perhaps meet more of these frustrated needs as 
well.

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org

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