Common House Design Workshop

The Common House Programming Workshop & Schematic Design establishes the goals, priorities, and design criteria for the Common House, the place that brings people together, and often the least understood aspect of a cohousing community.

A high-functioning Common House for 30 households garners 250 to 450 people-hours per week (like the Nevada City Cohousing Common House). An unsuccessful Common House for 30 households garners 100 to 150 people- hours per week. They both cost the same to build originally, but the second scenario costs again to remodel. (from Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves)

McCamant & Durrett Architects works closely with the group to define the very specific design criteria for your Common House. Programming establishes specific agreed-upon guidelines as the basis for the design, guidelines that we document in a written Program that will be drawn upon throughout the design process. Following the workshop, MDA´s architects develop the schematic floor plans and elevations for the Common House, based on the program, creating plans that reflect the group´s decisions.

“We live and love this place. The architect, Chuck Durrett, knew how to bring the best out of us and how to manifest it in a building that lives and breathes and is the heart of our community.” –cohousing resident

Nobody has more experience creating cohousing communities. We'd like to give you an estimate of our fees, but need to know a little more about your group's project.