Cohousing and Formal/Informal Aspects of the Boundary

There is increasing interest in architecture in cohousing as part of the search for solutions to sustainable habitation. In this context, cohousing introduces new forms of urban living to address contemporary challenges and needs. While the need for private homes remains unquestioned, the collective nature of cohousing presents a distinct condition in which the private aspect of housing blends with qualities of public space. This paper explores the collective aspect of shared space in cohousing and its potential to enhance public space, considering both formal and informal qualities. Cohousing has been criticized for providing spaces that encourage interaction solely among residents, fostering introverted complexes that weaken the public realm. After discussing the typologies of cohousing collective space, we draw on Sennett’s analysis of collaboration and Bakhtin’s concepts of polyphony and the carnivalesque to argue for conceiving collective space as an open field of communication between cohousing and public space.