Cohousing communities provide a unique chance for an architectural exploration. The modern cohousing common house design ideas can be based on individual experiences, concepts and ideas on living, community activities and building function, form and structure. Designers can also create collective housing complexes with eclectic forms, eclectic materials and shared spaces. Building a cohousing common house to suit all the needs of the inhabitants can be a great challenge. Today, form-based code strategies are being used for the design of cohousing communities. Compliant cohousing designs, building regulations and street forms can be used to formulate a pattern that is physically, economically, and visually compatible with existing and future buildings. Form-based code strategies also focus on building the physical appearance, texture, structure, and character of an area. The implementation of a form-based code can result in higher density, diverse housing, balanced economic development, social equity, and sustainability.Modern Cohousing Common House Design Ideas
Modern Cohousing Common House Design Ideas
Cohousing offers many opportunities to make visiting children feel at home. Attractive, fun and safe common areas where children can play is a surefire way to make them stay. A cohousing common house design should provide a warm, cozy and inviting atmosphere to kids. A communal play area, sandbox, and other kid-friendly amenities can make it comfortable and inviting for children. Designers can create an environment for children which includes playgrounds, swings, climbing structures, playhouses, slides, basketball hoops, four-square courts, and tetherballs. The outdoor fun can be complemented with comfortable common areas for TV, movies and games. Taking the kid’s-eye view into account while designing residential cohousing can greatly improve the overall experience.A Kid's-Eye View of Cohousing
Shared Form-Based Code Strategies for Designing Cohousing Communities
Creating a sustainable and energy-efficient cohousing community is a great challenge for designers. To achieve this, a cohousing community design should be based on eco-friendly building strategies. Combining local materials, modern building techniques, and advanced energy-saving methods can produce resource-efficient structures. Passive cooling, natural ventilation, solar and wind power, power-generating windows, geothermal heat pumps and green roofs are some eco-friendly building strategies that can be employed for a cohousing common house. Using regional construction materials can also lead to a reduction in the resource cost and shipping costs.Eco-Friendly Building Strategies for Cohousing Communities
A Kid's-Eye View of Cohousing
Cohousing community design has many benefits over conventional housing and urban living. A cohousing project can create a diverse village with a shared sense of community. Designers can create a place where people can meet and interact, share resources and ideas and be part of each other’s lives. Planning for communal areas including kitchens, laundry, and offices can be a major part of this design process. The common house design should also prioritize green space and learning gardens, and provide shared access to recreation and leisure activities. This leads to a sense of community ownership and collaboration, allowing members to enjoy the best of both worlds.The Benefits of a Cohousing Community Design
Eco-Friendly Building Strategies for Cohousing Communities
Designers need to ensure that every aspect of the common house design is accessible. This means providing physical access, visual cues, and auditory clues to make sure the space can be used comfortably by all. Providing ramps and other necessary accessibility aids can make it easier for everyone to move around the common house. Apart from the physical access, the community should be designed for cognitive and sensory access. This includes considering lighting, noise, temperature and other environmental factors that can affect the comfort and safety of its residents.Creating an Accessible Design for Your Cohousing Community
The Benefits of a Cohousing Community Design
Cohousing communities often contain smaller units, typically studios and loft apartments. Smaller living spaces present great opportunities for imaginative design ideas. Coordinating living and working areas in a cohousing common house can be a great challenge. Designers can find ways to maximize the usable space in these units while maintaining the sense of openness. By thinking small, designers can also come up with design solutions for space constraints. Ideas such as mezzanines, loft beds, and movable elements can be used to maximize flexibility and storage space.Thinking Small in Cohousing Common House Design
Creating an Accessible Design for Your Cohousing Community
Designers must also create a cohesive suite of common house spaces. Common areas such as lobbies, clubrooms, living areas, kitchen and dining areas, multipurpose spaces, laundry rooms, and mail rooms should be planned for maximum use and effectiveness. The common spaces should also be designed to be inviting and comfortable for the current generation of cohousers. The main common area should be a gathering place, while other areas should provide spaces for hosting meetings, reading, cooking, relaxing, and other activities. These functions should be supported by well-thought out lighting, seating, and furnishing that reflect the community’s style.Cohousing Common House Design: Creating a Suite
Thinking Small in Cohousing Common House Design
Designers must also consider the environment when creating a cohousing common house. They should take into account local climate, available resources, energy efficiency, and nature conservation. Building materials, landscaping, and interior design choices should be tailored to the local environment with an eye towards harmony, sustainability, and energy efficiency. More than being energy-efficient and ecological, the cohousing common house needs to be welcoming and comfortable. Designers should create a balance between outdoor and indoor living, providing enough protection from the elements while still allowing a meaningful connection with the outside environment.Considering the Environment When Building a Cohousing Common House
Cohousing Common House Design: Creating a Suite
Design solutions for energy efficiency should form a crucial part of the cohousing common house design. This includes considering efficient heating and cooling systems, natural light, the efficiency of the building envelope, and water-saving fixtures. Strategically placing windows to allow for natural ventilation can also help in reducing energy costs while promoting a comfortable interior atmosphere. Smart systems such as intelligent thermostats, automated Hansgrohe showers, and energy-efficient appliances can greatly reduce the destructive environmental impact of the common house. Investing in an energy audit before building the cohousing community can also help in determining the most efficient and cost-effective design.Energy Efficiency and Cohousing Common House Design
Considering the Environment When Building a Cohousing Common House
Designing a cohousing common house is a complex task. Designers need to take into account a wide variety of requirements and considerations, including the needs of the residents, energy efficiency, sustainability, accessibility, cost, and environmental impact. The common house should be designed to be both inviting and comfortable, creating a sense of home and community for all. To ensure that all of the requirements are met, designers must consider all aspects of the building process, from zoning regulations and building codes to neighborhood impact studies and development plans. Working in conjunction with the team of architects, builders, and engineers can also ensure that the common house is designed to be most effective and cost-efficient.Things to Consider When Designing a Common House for Your Cohousing Community
Energy Efficiency and Cohousing Common House Design
Utilizing a Cohousing Common House Design to Cultivate a Sense of Community
Cohousing Common Houses are an innovative architectural design approach that helps foster community connection and provides shared public spaces where residents can live, cook, and socialize. This living arrangement has grown in popularity over the years as shared spaces become more sought-after features of residence.
Cohousing Common House design
are carefully crafted to help neighbors come together and create strong communal bonds.
The main idea behind
Cohousing Common House design
is to make it easier to form meaningful relationships through
shared public spaces
. A cohousing common house often surrounds a large open-air gathering space where neighbors can come together, cook meals, and share information about the local area. In addition to stimulating conversation and providing a common area, cohousing principles also involve setting up specific rules for shared living. These include rules that encourage neighborly behavior and discourage noise pollution or other disturbances.
By fostering community living, cohousing environments can reduce the amount of isolation felt by people living in large urban areas or suburbs. An added benefit of cohousing designs is that they make it easier to access communal resources like gardens, green spaces, or community-oriented businesses.
This type of house design
creates the opportunity for their residents to engage with a wider audience than they would otherwise have access to in a traditional single-family home.
Additionally, cohousing houses emphasize the importance of sustainable living practices, often through features like communal composting areas or shared solar energy sources. These components help residents support their environmental values while also saving money on energy costs.
The development of Cohousing Common House
designs
shows the potential of using architecturally-enriched places to help people build community relationships. As an increasing number of people opt for models of shared living over traditional single-family residences, it is important to recognize that cohousing seeks to create more meaningful living arrangements and a sense of unity between members of the community.
