cultivating collaboration: lessons from cohousing studios

Cultivating Collaboration : Nancy Yen-wen Cheng

Cultivating Collaboration:lessons from cohousing design studios

• Introduction• Setting the stage• Orchestrating Group Process• Communication Technology• Interactive Assessment• Conclusions & Next Steps

“Home & Community” collograph by Ruth Cohen

Nancy Yen-wen Cheng, University of Oregon


Introduction

Rekindling community Designers lead problem-solversStudio Context & Description


Rekindling community: a shared responsibility

• Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam: face-to-face rituals disappearing• Transient society: >40 million Americans move every year, ~10

million move between states


Value of Design : Solving complex problems

• Integrated Practices: Collaborative process: Shared risk & rewards • Cultural Transformation needed for a change in thinking and processes

— The Toyota Way by Jeffrey K. Liker

Image courtesy of Green Building Services


Virtual Design Studios

• How can virtual communities enrich and extend relationships?


Virtual Design Studios

• Sharing design approaches, technical solutions and cultural contexts.


Ecological Agenda

• Story & Icon

Melting globe from Chattahbox.com


Ecological Agenda

Melting globe from Chattahbox.com


Studio Background

from Scandinavian model of cooperative living


What is Cohousing?

1. Participatory process2. Intentional

neighborhood design3. Extensive common

facilities4. Complete resident

management5. Non-hierarchical

structure6. Separate incomes

-- McCamant & Durrett

Cohousing.org

individual units common space

common house activities


Where are Cohousing Communities?

2008 survey by Betsy Morris, Ph.D., Coho/U.S.


Chronology


Design Phases

Four major deadlines 1 Research Case Study

2 Research Case Study

3 Site Design / Sustainable scope4 Site Design / Sustainable scope 5 Building Design

6 Building Design

7 Building Design

8 Re-integration

9 Re-Integration

10 Presentation


Case Studies focus on an aspect of community


Case Study : danish cohousing organization


Setting the stage

Connecting to a larger communityUsing local resources


Learn from local communties: Maitreya Ecovillage, Eugene, OR


Creative building experiments: Maitreya Ecovillage, Eugene, OR


Lost Valley Educational Center

Dexter, Oregon


Experiencing building experiments: Lost Valley, Dexter, OR


Connecting to a Larger Community : Corvallis Coho Ecovillage

• Meeting clients, using architect’s program & site information


Connecting to a Larger Community : Corvallis Coho Ecovillage

Joy Rackley’s Corvallis Cohousing Spring 2005


Oregon – Terminal Studio Community Design


Connecting to a Larger Community : can later visit real project


Orchestrating Group Process

Fostering TrustTeam sizeMultiple interaction modelsComplimenting, compensating for othersLeadership


Fostering Trust

Interview a new classmate: background, talents, interests, activities• Discuss previous group experiences, identify positive factors


Building trust: field trip, site documentation & analysis

• Meeting clients & walking the land creates motivations

• Shared activities reveal strengths and personality typesi.e. Cooking together


Team size


Multiple interaction models

-William Caudill, Architecture by Team


From competing to complementary roles

• i.e. divide by Time



• i.e. Divide by Task



• i.e. Divide by Territory

Image by Dave Brenneman


Compensating for others

• Get expectations on the table early

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Failing

- Frances Bronet, Georgeanne Cooper


Leadership

• Different styles work for different groups- Tree Bresen, Treegroup.org

The Slackers vs….. the Righteous


Communication Technology

Digital advantage for group workflowInteractive Assessment


Workflow pipeline

siteanalysis

design presentation reflection

TIME

program


diagrams

sketching

Digital Advantage to workflow pipeline

concept &skill prep

on-site measuring

digital model

renderings

portfoliosheets

existingdrawings

boardlayout

TIME

on-site photography

on-site interviews library/web

research

cardboardmodel

energy


diagramsdigital model

renderings

portfoliosheets

boardlayout

energy

sketching

Digital advantage to workflow pipeline

concept &skill prep

on-site measuring

existingdrawings

TIME

on-site photography

on-site interviews library/web

research

cardboardmodel

WIKI


Wiki Example


Digital graphics present a united front

By Ady Leverette, Peter Siu-kau Lo & Sienna Hill


Site Plan & Diagrams

By Ady Leverette, Peter Siu-kau Lo & Sienna Hill


Common House Development

• By Ady Leverette, Peter Siu-kau Lo & Sienna Hill

By Ady Leverette


Scope increased for intermediate students

By Dan Roll, Brent Stuntzner, Kaelee Pearson, Erik Bischoff and Erin Pearce


Landscape integrationConnects to city with market & restaurant, nature & bikers at river park

edge

By Dan Roll, Brent Stuntzner, Kaelee Pearson, Erik Bischoff and Erin Pearce


Each person takes a housing type

Tight, private, social

By Kaelee Pearson


Connecting to a larger community : Exhibit

Poster design by Tuan Vu


Iterations Develop a Common Aesthetic

By Adam Franch, Trang Nguyen, & Tommy White


Digital Presentation



Challenging each other



Digital-Physical mix



Connecting to a larger community : Projects for Real People

Brendan Soens presenting


Interactive Assessment

Set performance standardsInteractive Feedback


Set performance standards

Topical Rubrics for• Site Design• Building Design• Sustainability

Overall Design Performance• Thinking• Process• Media


Each Phase has summary and reflections

By Kayla Nelson


NAAB performance standards : Fall 2008 reflections

3 Graphic Skills 5 Formal Ordering Systems 7 Collaborative Skills12 Human Behavior15 Sustainability17 Site Conditions


Online supplements face2face feedback

• Online Surveys help shy students express themselves


Online Supplements face2face feedback

• Required Peer comments


Conclusions & Next Steps


Positive Aspects of Group Studios

+ ADVANTAGES - DISADVANTAGES

Builds teamwork skills Takes patience and time

Projects & presentations more comprehensive

Holds risk of conflict & frustration

Team gives more design feedback

Learning varies for each member

Talents recognized, skills shared

Fosters digital workflowAlternative media suits different learning styles

8 of 13 course evaluations said collaboration was a valuable challenge (16 in Fall ’07 class)


Challenges of Group Studios & Coping Tactics

- DISADVANTAGES PRESCRIPTION

Takes patience and timeReduce structured time as large-group

Risk of conflict & frustration

Set expectations with readings, ground rules

Learning varies for each member

Require self-reflection about progress

6 of 13 students said production expectations were too high but 4 balanced that with comments like

“I worked hard but I feel I accomplished a lot!”


Ingredient for top teams:

• Select membership• Foster rapport & risk-taking• Balance cooperation and competition

Intersection Repair at 22nd & Garfield, Eugene, OR


What makes it successful?

• Key Factors– Collaborator’s profiles– Shared goals, Valued

products– Scheduling logistics– Teamwork structure– Appropriate technology


Teamwork strategy

• Consider participants’ profiles– Assign tasks according to

talents– Match complementary skills


Teamwork strategy

• Tune the task to fit – Create goals suiting

motivations– Divide work by Time, Task or

Territory– Allow group opt-out & reform at

specific times


Technology strategy

• Keep it simple : one website & password links to everywhere • Fit tools to targets, tasks & talents• Alternative methods for different learning styles• Backup channels for problems


Workflow strategy:

• Challenge assumptions • Redesign the way we work & live

– Reconsider the goals, processes and assessment

– Structure teams to support goals

• Action, feedback & reflection: – Process, not product


Next Steps

• Electronic Portfolios as Community Learning Environments: Facebook for education

• Wordpress MU / BuddyPress: Consolidating blog entries by tags

Image by Kathy Sucher, San Jose State University


Nancy Cheng’s contact info

http://www.uoregon.edu/~nywc [email protected] (541) 346-3674