Shared housing

Cohousing is defined as the desire of several households to pool their resources in order to design and/or finance collective housing. It is a concept based on solidarity, democracy, responsibility, respect for the environment, sharing and social diversity.

Combining the need for privacy and the need for social ties, the collective housing project appears as a solution with multiple advantages. It is not only about the construction of a habitat but also that of a collective. A group is created and decides to live together. Everything has to be decided; What means should be put in place to communicate? How will decisions be made? How do we manage and share tasks? In the same place come together private spaces and common areas: guest rooms, shared laundry rooms, shared garden and terrace, games room or library. The inhabitants therefore experience group life while respecting everyone’s need for privacy. Most of the time people participate to the very conception of the buildings, deciding together according to their specific needs and their needs as a community of inhabitants. Objectives of bioconstruction, thermal insulation, energy and water management can be coupled with values of responsible consumption, purchases of local products such as CSA products or in local shops. It can also be a place for social, cultural and ecological experimentation. Cohousing projects can be found in rural, suburban or urban areas in many parts of the world.

Equivalent concepts

Shared housing, habitat groupé, cooperative housing, inclusive housing, habitat participatif, habitat autogéré, coopératives d'habitants.

History of the concept

First intent of cohousing with shared spaces and private spaces - the bofælleskaberi - in 1964 by the Danish arquitect Jan Gudmand-Høyer. In 1968, he published an article "The missing link between utopia and the dated single-family house".

Cohousing around Europe

France Spain Italy https://www.corradi.eu/fr/magazine/cohousing-exemples-italie Hungary