Creating Cohousing: Building Sustainable Communities

by Charles Durrett, Kathryn McCamant

The cohousing “bible” by the US originators of the concept.

Genres: Nonfiction, Design, Sustainability

336 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2011

About the author

Charles R. Durrett is a renowned architect, author, and advocate for affordable, socially responsible, and sustainable design. He has made significant contributions to community-based architecture and cohousing, having designed 55+ cohousing communities across North America and provided consulting services for many more internationally. Additionally, he has designed an equal number of affordable housing projects for a wide variety of incomes and populations.

In recognition of his substantial achievements in cohousing and community architecture, Durrett has received hundreds of awards, including the Human Habitat Award from the United Nations, the International Innovations Award, and the Mixed Housing Development Award presented jointly by the American Institute of Architects and the United States Department of Housing. He has delivered over a hundred public presentations, including two before the U.S. Congress, as well as lectures at the Commonwealth Club of California and 50 universities including Princeton, Stanford, U.C. Berkeley, University of Stockholm, and The Royal Danish University, School of Architecture. Continuing his commitment to education, Charles Durrett shares his expertise in architecture and affordable housing developments. He currently serves as the principal architect at The Cohousing Company, based in Nevada City, California.

Reviews

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to the concept of cohousing, that is, a neighborhood in which residents work together and share large common spaces (as well as common dinners) in order to foster a greater sense of community. The idea of cohousing sounds GREAT, and it's so in-depth that I can't really go into it here, but learning about this kind of community is a must for anyone who wants to raise their kids in a safe neighborhood, get to know their neighbors as people they can count on to be there for them, and live in a more environmentally sustainable way. http://www.cohousing.org/ , the website for The Cohousing Association of the United States, would probably be a great resource for anyone who wants to learn a little of what cohousing is all about before getting the book.

Creating Cohousing was written for an audience who knows nothing about cohousing (like me), and Part 1 explains what it is, how it works, and what the effects of it are. Part 2 details its history in Europe (cohousing began in Denmark) while Part 3 explores current cohousing communities in North America from early communities to ones that are still being built. This book also explains how to start a cohousing community and what you should expect in the design process at the end, so this book remains useful for people who decide after reading it that they want to start their own. The writers themselves are architects who build cohousing communities on the west coast, so you can trust that what you're reading is from a credible source! Also, nearly every page has pictures and/or floorplans for the communities they talk about, and the visual helps a lot.

The reason why I didn't give this book five stars is because it gets kind of dry and repetitive after reading about all the North American cohousing communities (the authors include 15, and each is a chapter long), and I was a bit disappointed that they didn't include some of the failed cohousing communities so that we could see what had gone wrong with those and learn from their mistakes. It also got a bit annoying that the authors seemed to be promoting their own work as if they wanted you to hire them for your cohousing project, but it wasn't that prevalent and I guess it kind of is to be expected. Otherwise, this was a great book.

[Coco Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m probably biased, but from a designer’s standpoint this book speaks my heart.

[Mikyla Limpkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating concept. Really well researched and explained. Can't wait to live in one!

[SS · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful 'how to' book on co-housing development. It contains the usual case studies but includes learnings and steps if you are wanting to establish a co-housing development.

[Jimjoebob · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great look at Co-housing. The examples are important, of course, but if you want to read discussions of how to build co-housing, you'll need to skip to about 70% through for any real advice.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for the writing/editing; 5 stars for the idea + the usefulness of this guide in making that idea happen.

[Derek Gutheil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting…

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

For decades, Denmark (it’s always Denmark, isn't it?) has recognized the fundamental human need for community by pioneering the practice of cohousing. Cohousing communities, as the architects Charles Durrett and Kathryn McCamant explain, have diverse flavors but share some basic characteristics: Residents, rather than developers, drive the design and planning process and therefore have more invested in their communities; common areas, especially the common house, are prioritized; residents share much more than in contemporary housing: maintenance responsibilities, childcare, tools, cars, laundry facilities and crucially, meals; and homes are typically smaller, clustered closer together and implement sustainable building design and practices (even in areas with abundant land).

Durrett and McCamant highlight cohousing communities around Denmark and in the US, where interest is also growing. They also interview residents and provide a rough blueprint for those interested in starting their own communities. Cohousing tries very intentionally to turn the tide of isolation that has Americans camped out in ever more ginourmous caves. It’s an ideal situation for parents with busy careers, children with their need for space and playmates, older folks and others with mobility issues and single people. The community benefits greatly from this multi-generational pool of wisdom and energy as well.

[Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book giving details on the how and why of cohousing

[Clivemichael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice overview/introduction.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Consolidates 30 years of experience designing and building cohousing into one readable book. This book actually makes it seem do-able, and I hope it is!