Welcome to

http://sydneycohousing.blogspot.com/

Cascade Cohousing Hobart

“From the moment I first entered a cohousing community,

it was apparent that I was in a special place” (Chuck Durrett

Cohousing Company)

Intentional & Intergenerational community

Intentional community is defined as

“A living environment where doors don’t

need to be locked, where significant

relationships with neighbours are the norm

rather than the exception, where generations

mix and everyone has a role, where people

experiment with commitment to something

more than their individual interests ... in short,

intentional community.” (Mazo, 1992)

Empowerment

Is the means by which individuals

acting collectively, gain

understanding of their

circumstances and, in the process,

gather control over their lives.”

(Meltzer 2001)

Cohousing: Definition

Cohousing combines the autonomy of private

dwellings with the advantages of community

living. It has private units, semi-private space,

indoor and outdoor communal space. It is built

at low, medium and high densities and in a

variety of layouts and locations, thus

communities are very diverse. Communities can

be new build or retrofit.

Cohousing Development Model

Resident led ; Partnership ; Speculative

Developer

ledWorking with

the developerBy the

residents

Characteristics of Cohousing:

1. Participatory Process

2. Neighbourhood Design

3. Common Facilities

4. Residential Management

5. Non- Hierarchical Structure & Decision Making

6. Significant elements of the community economy

are shared, but not the private income.

Characteristics of Cohousing:

• Common house where community

activities & shared meals occurs

Cohousing communities are old-

fashioned neighbourhoods created with

a little ingenuity. They bring together the

value of private homes with the benefits

of more sustainable living. That means

common facilities and good connections

with neighbours. All in all, they stand as

innovative answers to today's

environmental and social problems.

Why Cohousing?

modern cities are facing increasing

challenges around social isolation,

population growth, housing shortages

and resource distribution impacted by

climate change, but intentional

communities could be an avenue for

changing lifestyles to adapt to these

challenges..

Phil Bourne ,Common Ground & Cohousing Australia

Why Cohousing?

The cohousing literature suggests that

European & US cohousing communities

have a better quality of life due to a

heightened sense of well-being and a

more affordable lifestyle (Marcus & Dovey, 1991; Meltzer,

2000; Brenton, 1998; Fromm, 1991).

Sustainability

"forms of progress that

meet the needs of the

present without

compromising the ability

of future generations to

meet their needs."

SustainabilityEnvironmentally

• The nature of cohousing communities

reduces their impact on the environment.

SustainabilityEnvironmentally

• The nature of cohousing communities

reduces their impact on the environment.

• The nature of cohousing communities

reduces their impact on the environment.

• Cohousing are socially inclusive, & have

strong social networks.

SustainabilityEnvironmentally, Socially

• The nature of cohousing communities

reduces their impact on the environment.

• Cohousing are socially inclusive, & have

strong social networks.

• Cohousing is a proven affordable living.

SustainabilityEnvironmentally, Socially, Economically

• The nature of cohousing communities

reduces their impact on the environment.

• Cohousing are socially inclusive, & have

strong social networks.

• Cohousing is a proven affordable living.

• Increase residents’ well-being.

SustainabilityEnvironmentally, Socially, Economically

Cohousing Australia

•Cascade Cohousing, Hobart

•Cohousing Cooperative, Hobart

•Pinakarri Cohousing, Perth

•Christie walk, Adelaide

•Ecohousing Heidelberg Cooperative

Melbourne, [under construction]

Urban Ecology, Christie walk, Adelaide

Ecohousing Heidelberg Cooperative, Melbourne

Living at Cascade Cohousing

How did we start

Shared Values

1. Community

Respect each other

2. Sustainability

socially responsible community

ecologically robust,

economically sustainable,

3. Quality

Increase quality of life

4. Affordability

Reduce living costs

5. Diversity

Multi-Cultural and intergenerational

Our Structure

Consensus process

where we are all

involved , and are all

considered till we

reach an agreement.

Conflict resolution ,

learning how to solve

and deal with disputes

in a non violent and

respectful way.

Committees

Finance/ Treasurer

Networking

Group Coordinator

PR/ Events

Blog/ Web site

Editor/ Publisher

Legal

Design

Where are we at

Where are we at

councils

Where are we at

councils

Academics

Where are we at

councils

Financial

Land value

Academics

Where are we at

councils

Land value

Academics

Marketing

Financial

Where are we at

councils

Banks

Land value

Academics

Marketing

Housing

Associations

Cohousing AustraliaCohousing USA

Cohousing Company

many meetings and discussions

Becoming a Member

1.Get Familiar with the cohousing

concept.

Read the vision and values statement,

and at least one of:

Sustainable Community: Learning from

the Cohousing Model, Graham Meltzer

or

Cohousing: A Contemporary

Approach to Housing Ourselves, Kathryn

McCamant & Charles Durrett

2. Participate in Sydney Cohousing.

Attend at least three Sydney

Cohousing meetings and volunteer

time to the group, for example by

taking minutes or preparing a report.

3. Pay for your membership.

Complete the Membership form and

pay the $100 annual fee

“It takes people to create a community ”

http://sydneycohousing.blogspot.com/

Contact

End Notes & Resources

Image caption

P.2 Curtsey of Cascade cohousing Hobart

P.3 Charles Durrett, Senior cohousing handbook, 2nd edition [Canada, new society publication, 2009, p.3]

P.5 Empowerment, image at www.nrgcoaching.net/.../2009/06/empowerment.bmp

P.8 Wolf Creek senior cohousing site plan, from Durrett, Senior cohousing handbook, p.224]

P.9 Curtsey of Cascade cohousing Hobart

P.12 Consumerism, image at http:// ihopbecky.wordpress.com

P.16 Diagrams of Savvaeket ,Denmark & Het Hallehuis, Holland, From Dorit Fromm, Collaborative

Communities, [New York, VNR, 1991, p.284-5].

p.17 Curtsey of Cascade cohousing, Hobart.

p.19 House Sketch, Rosalie White, www.torontoneighbourhoods.net/.../sketch_45.gif

p.20 Hut Sketch, Unknown

P.21 Car Sketch, image at: cardesignblog.wordpress.com/

P.28 Christie Walk, Adelaide, Image at www.urbanecology.org.au/christiewalk/

p.29 Ecohousing Heidelberg

p.30-51 Curtsey of Cascade cohousing Hobart

p.56 Consensus diagram, Christopher Day, Consensus design principles,

p.67 Group is the image at, www.4regularfolks.com/CareerandWork/Articles

Texts

• Williams, Jo(2005) 'Sun, surf and sustainable housing—cohousing, the Californian experience', International Planning

Studies, p.10, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13563470500258824)

• Phil Bourne 2009 ,Common Ground & Cohousing Australia

• Chris & Kelly ScottHansen, The cohousing handbook, revised edition [Cannada, New Society Publishing, 2005].

• Dorit Fromm, Collaborative communities cohousing, central living and other new forms of housing with shared

facilities, [van nostrand reinhold NY1991] .

• Kathryn McCamant & Charles Durrett, Cohousing a contemporary approach to housing ourselves.

• Charles Durrett, “the Senior Cohousing Handbook” ,Second Edition, NSP 2009

• Christopher Day , Consensus design : socially inclusive process ,

• Graham Meltzer , Sustainable community : learning from the cohousing model ,

• Sim Van der Ryn & Peter Calthorpe, “Sustainable Communities, “A new Design Synthesis for Cities, Suburbs and

Towns”, sierra club books , san fransisco(1986)

• Diana Leafe Christian, “Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities,

• McDonough & Michael Braungart, Cradle to Cradle (New York, North Point Press, 2002

• Louise Crabtree, sustainability begins at home? An ecological exploration of sub/urban Australian community-

focused housing initiatives, Department of Human Geography Macquarie University, NSW 2005, www.sciencedirect

.com

Sydney Cohousing Presentation Prepared by Gilo Holtzman