J.M. MONTANER & ZAIDA MUXÍ: CO-HOUSING IN BARCELONA

The aim of the course is reflecting and designing for the changing conditions of living in contemporary cities. Barcelona is changing the housing law to adapt it to new times, for that is including a new typology in Spain: Co‐housing.

Cohousing is an intentional community of homes clustered around shared spaces. Shared spaces usually feature a common house or space, which may include kitchen and dining area, laundry, co‐working areas, spaces for children care and recreational spaces.

Cohousing cultivates a culture of sharing and caring, promoting frequent interaction and close relationships. Cohousing neighbourhoods are designed for privacy as well as community, residents get to choose their level of engagement thus balancing privacy and community how they see it according to their lifestyle. Cohousing makes easy to form clubs or associations for make an easier living like organize child and elder care, and car‐sharing. In the same way the culture of the common generates spaces for occupational and economic activities.

The housing Co‐op will be the owner of the rights of use and will cede to the members of the co‐op the housing rights of use, for permanent everyday use. The housing rights of use will be given to the members for seventy‐five years. It is leasehold and the land remains public property.

The cooperatives interested in participating in the leasehold of right of use must present:
1. A script of intent which explains the proposed solutions of the project.
2. The quality of the architectural proposal based on flexibility and gender equality Barcelona, Co‐housing and New Formats of Living.
3. The inclusion of the collaborative proposal for the community life.
4. The rationality and functionality of the proposal in regards to its relation with area/surface, types of housing units and the entire complex.
5. It must incorporate architectonic, social, economic, environmental, mobility and accessibility conditions aspects as well as the creation of collective spaces, communal gardens, and other productive common spaces. with a justification of the social profitability of the proposal. It must have communal spaces in mind for everyday and collaborative use, and as well communal gardens or orchards.
6. The spatial organization capacity of the proposal to create a neighbourhood, permit and promote social interactions and satisfy the needs of the members of the social housing complex.
7. The capacity of the proposal to create a project that fits into the urban context of the city, the architectonic quality and its ability to enrich the urban fabric.
8. Technical proposal elaborated to a level of final draft corresponding to the construction of the social housing buildings. Social and environmental aspects as well as communal spaces planned in the final draft must be kept in mind.
9. The planning, environmental friendliness and efficient energy use, explaining the green approaches to living for households; a sustainable lifestyle in a green co‐housing.
10. The qualities of construction, structure, installations and healthy materials from the perspective of sustainability, energy saving, maintenance, and deconstruction.

The proposal of the course is to design a co‐housing building based in three inputs:
1. The plots that Barcelona is offering in a cession model to coops for building their co‐housing
2. The characteristics and relationships of the community
3. The Tools for inhabiting the present as design guides

Final presentation will consist in: description of social characteristics of coop‐inhabitants; urban solution referred to urban context and environmental conditions; building definitions and typologies.