Collective habitats for rural regeneration A housing cooperative in Almenara (Spain)

This paper presents a systemic and sustainable architectural approach through the design of a housing cooperative in Almenara, a semi-rural area in eastern Spain. The project addresses three interconnected challenges: the rural exodus, the climate emergency, and the housing crisis driven by speculative market logic. Anchored in SDGs 6, 7, and 8, the proposal integrates participatory design, local energy production, and water-sensitive urbanism within a collective living model. The project envisions a renewable energy community that supplies clean energy while fostering local cohesion and autonomy. It introduces low-impact construction methods, passive systems, and cooperative maintenance strategies, enhancing resilience and reducing long-term costs. The initiative prioritises inclusivity, multigenerational diversity, and shared governance as drivers of sustainable development in shrinking territories. By addressing housing not as a commodity but as a common good, this model promotes a just ecological transition. It demonstrates how architectural practice can facilitate systemic synergies between social, environmental, and economic goals, contributing to regenerative rural futures and the broader achievement of the 2030 Agenda. Article info Received: 12/09/2025; Revised: 13/10/2025; Accepted: 18/10/2025