THE COHOUSING CULTS

 The idea of cohousing is incredibly peculiar to me, and I find it truly fascinating that they even work. Making the conscientious decision to work collectively to build a community seems great, but with the diversity of people and personalities and lifestyles and preferences and diets and ways of living, it is phenomenal to think people can find enough in common to work together anymore - let alone live together and share amenities. In all honesty, cohousing sounds significantly like a cult to me where people have created what I assume is a very closed exclusive community of shared living, all inwardly focused. Furthermore, the introduction of the community from the early design process phase rather than after construction is incredibly unique and different. As a designer, I find enough difficulty accommodating one client's wishes, let alone an entire group of people. 

    One point that was mentioned in the videos we watched was the large diversity in ages, and that exacerbated my skepticism for the quality of life in these communities. Very rarely, if ever, have I seen multiple generations of people agree on how to live and exist, yet these cohousing developments boast that diversity as if it causes no issues. Is there a hierarchy at all to the decision making? Is everything done through popular vote? Surely, there must be some leader or guide or council dictating how proceedings occur and amenities are dispersed? Furthermore, I am very curious to hear about the dark downside to these communities that perhaps they do not share in public. Political differences? Financial gaps? Age disparities? Even racism, sexism, or homophobia? The unequal allocation of resources? What is behind the closed doors for these places, for they appear too clean and perfect to actually work. 

    I think scale and shared values play a critical role for a cohousing development to be a success. It's easier to get 10 or 20 people to agree than it is to get 1,000 people. Furthermore, I can better understand these places if there is a shared commonality between them. Perhaps everyone is avid rock climbers? Perhaps they share a religion or career? Perhaps they all share a fondness for particular foods, art, or lifestyles? What is the factor that binds these people together? 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE MEMORY MISJUNCTION

Image
  For many of us, we believe memory works like that of a film or picture book - recalled to mind on demand, in vivid color, and uniquely total. I prefer to think of memory as the collection of lines, planes, forms, and colors that somehow influenced or were influenced by an emotion within us. Our memories are no more based in realism than the painting above, yet we recall the elements individually that compose the whole. In many ways, memory is idealized, as it never captures the entirety, but we still establish our own associations to places. It is the connection and progression of these associations that manifest our identity and morality. We are the sum of our manufactured and imperfect parts.   
Read more

SMALL TOWNS, BIG COMMUNITIES

Image
There are very few communities, particularly in small town America, with stronger community ties than Corinth, Mississippi. What began as part of a site visit for a design class ended with deep southern hospitality, great food, good company, and a pride for the hard work that built these towns - much of which was not designed, but rather developed through generations of families. When the mayor of a town will meet you at the local Coca-Cola museum for floats, I begin to question whether people aren't the key to planning communities. 
Read more