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our blog
One Year Fully Charged: Silverdale Transit Center Turns One!
about a week ago
Blueprints for Success: Grace H. Kim's Top Tips for UW College of Built Environments Class of 2025
about 2 weeks ago
The Footnote: Post-Grad Advice for Graduate Architects
about 2 months ago
What does resilience look like at Schemata?
about 2 months ago
Welcome to the Team Kriti & Astrid
about 3 months ago
Spotlight: Local Organization That Are Advocating for Their Communities
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Schemata’s Commitment: MLK Day of Service at Everest Park
about 5 months ago
Schemata Workshop's Vision for the Next 20 Years
about 6 months ago
The Origin Story of Schemata Workshop
about 7 months ago
Celebrating 20 Years of Schemata Workshop: Building Communities Through Design
about 8 months ago

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Saettedamen Cohousing in Hillerød, DK. Designed by Theo Bjerg og Palle Dyrebord

Saettedamen Cohousing in Hillerød, DK. Designed by Theo Bjerg og Palle Dyrebord

Eating Atmosphere - Cohousing Pattern #10 [181]

August 26, 2019 in Cohousing, Cohousing Patterns, Community, Housing, Sustainability, Urban Design, Urban Living

The dining room plays a special role in facilitating conversation and community during cohousing resident group meals.

“…when the table has the same light over it, and has the same light level on the walls around it, the light does nothing to hold people together; the intensity of feeling is quite likely to dissolve…. But when there is a soft light, hung low over the table, with dark walls around so that this one point of light lights up people’s faces and is a focal point for the whole group, then a meal can become a special thing indeed…”

Frank Lloyd Wright described this as creating a “room within a room” - the people sitting around a dining table forming the “walls” of this inner room. This will help create an intimate setting at the dining table within the larger dining room. Create a sense of intimacy by providing solid wood tables which comfortably seat 6-8 adults and placing a pendant fixture over each table. Conversation is easily maintained in a group of this size, if there are 10, then two separate discussions will occur because the people at the far ends of the table have a difficult time conversing.

  Overblikket  in Birkerød, DK

Overblikket in Birkerød, DK

  Stavnsbaandet Cohousing  in Farum, DK. Designed by Ortving of Friis Jorgensen

Stavnsbaandet Cohousing in Farum, DK. Designed by Ortving of Friis Jorgensen

  Bakken Cohousing  in Humlebaek, DK. Designed by Tegnestuen Vandkunsten

Bakken Cohousing in Humlebaek, DK. Designed by Tegnestuen Vandkunsten

  Ibsgården  in Roskilde, DK. Designed by Jes Edwards, Helge Christiansen

Ibsgården in Roskilde, DK. Designed by Jes Edwards, Helge Christiansen

  Overblikket  in Birkerød, DK   Stavnsbaandet Cohousing  in Farum, DK. Designed by Ortving of Friis Jorgensen   Bakken Cohousing  in Humlebaek, DK. Designed by Tegnestuen Vandkunsten   Ibsgården  in Roskilde, DK. Designed by Jes Edwards, Helge Christiansen

Please Note:

This series of blog posts is focused on explaining common design patterns in cohousing. Grace Kim, a founding principal and owner of Schemata Workshop, has identified patterns applicable to cohousing from "Pattern Language" by Christopher Alexander and has added some of her own.

Grace's additional patterns pay particular attention to the Common House because its design requires special consideration. As the living room for the community, the Common House sets the initial impression for visitors about what cohousing is, what your community values might be, or the perceived benefits of living in community. Schemata Workshop has analyzed scores of common houses in Denmark and North America to discern what does and does not work. Following Alexander's concept of Pattern Language, Grace has thoroughly documented the necessary programmatic and design elements for a successful Common House.

To learn more about cohousing at Schemata, visit our cohousing page.

Tags: cohousing, Pattern Language, urbanism, community, cohousing patterns, Schemata cohousing, multifamily, multi generational
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