What is cohousing?
How did cohousing start?
What are the benefits of cohousing?
What is happening with cohousing in Australia?

Cohousing communities are rather like a retirement village, but for people of all ages. They consist of private, fully equipped homes, with extensive shared amenities, including a common house and recreation areas. Importantly, they are designed and managed by the residents, who have chosen to live in a close-knit neighbourhood that provides a healthy blend of privacy and community.

Each household in a cohousing community has a fully self-contained private residence, complete with kitchen and its own outdoor area. The common house supplements the individual dwellings and is the heart of the community. Typically, it includes a kitchen and dining room, lounge, child playroom, workshop and laundry. Shared facilities allow residents to 'have more, but own less' than they otherwise would.

The community comes together and to share meals often. It is up to the individual to choose how much they want (or have time) to participate in cohousing community events.

All houses are primarily self-contained. They can be townhouse units or stand-alone houses.

Typically, a cohousing complex contains anything from 12 to 35 dwellings. Smaller developments do not provide enough diversity, and larger ones lose the social cohesiveness.

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The cohousing model was developed in Denmark over 25 years ago by people dissatisfied with existing urban and suburban options. They called it bofoellesskaber which means a 'living community'. Today, 10% of new housing developments in Denmark are built on the cohousing model.

Two American architects, Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durret, coined the term 'cohousing' in 1988 after visiting several of the Danish communities. Since then, more than 40 communities have been created in the United States and Canada, and many more are in the planning stages. Cohousing has become an established housing model in Scandinavia, Holland and North America. In the United States alone there are currently 93 cohousing communities.

Cohousing developments have been located in urban, suburban and rural locations. They can involve building new homes, renovating existing ones, or rehabilitating structures such as warehouses, offices or school buildings. There are also different types of ownership structures - private ownership, rental or a mixture of the two.

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Residents are involved in decision making, which helps to promote the feeling of community. Also, there is often a focus on environmental sustainability; for example, by making homes energy efficient and incorporating solar hot water, renewable energy generation and water recycling.

The cohousing concept attracts people for different reasons. Some people look forward to knowing their neighbours and enjoying the community facilities. Others like the fact that there will usually be someone around to help out with the kids. Some residents like the option of having shared meals together in the dining hall and having access to a large garden. One of the main benefits of cohousing is that it allows people to experience a sense of community while having their own private homes.

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There are cohousing communities in Hobart and Fremantle, and more are being developed in places such as Adelaide, the Gold Coast and Melbourne.

In Fremantle, the Pinakarri Community is made up of eight rental houses for low-income members and four privately owned homes. In Hobart, there are two cohousing communities, each with about 15 dwellings; one community is private, the other is government-funded community housing.

In central Adelaide, the Christie Walk development incorporates many cohousing features.
 
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