So It Begins - Last Studio Project Before Thesis...

Here it is, the last Studio project before I begin thesis. Drum roll please..... A Cohousing Community for a Philadelphia Neighborhood. This project is going to be designed for approximately 25 to 30 units, common spaces and outdoor spaces, and be located on Spruce and Juniper in Center City.

A Cohousing Community for a Philadelphia Neighborhood

Cohousing, an alternative form of "intentional community," was started in Denmark in the early 1970's. It combines the privacy of ones own residence with the convenience and communality of shared facilities - a communal dining room, children's play areas, workshops, meeting/living room and laundry room. Although the houses operate as self sufficient units, the shared areas are integral to the concept of community and cooperation.

A Cohousing community enables people of different generations and backgrounds to share their experiences, provide residents with a safety net and share a sense of family. These communities are created to encourage the extended family and neighbors helping neighbors.

Such a community also affords the individual the privacy to which we have all become accustomed and the financial benefits of home ownership while being part of a larger unit. Participants in a cohousing development take an active role in the creation of their community. Social interaction is a primary component; creating a sustainable environment, an artist community, a child-oriented community, a service oriented community, or a combination of these, are often goals. Successful communities are usually started by a core of people who choose to live in such a community, rather than by developers who want to sell their housing units.