Pinakarri Cohousing working in Western Australia

Abstract

Cohousing creates community by design. It’s a form of collaborative housing designed to overcome the isolation found in many housing developments. It’s characterized by private dwellings each with its own kitchen, living-dining room etc. plus extensive common facilities.
The common building may include such elements as; a dining room, kitchen, lounges, meeting rooms, recreation facilities, library, workshops, childcare etc.
Usually, cohousing communities are designed and managed by the residents, and are intentional neighbourhoods: residents are committed to living in a community; the physical design itself encourages that and facilitates social contact.
Cohousing is in the same realm as an ecovillage but it emphasises more the community dynamics and social dimension of ecovillages.

Pinakarri is an award-winning, intentional cohousing community of around two dozen people.
We live in 12 architect-designed houses a 15-minute bike ride from the world-famous ‘Cappuccino Strip’ in Fremantle, Western Australia.

Each house is fully self-contained and residents share the common facilities.
In the Common House, we have a kitchen & dining area, an office, a meeting room, a small guest room, and a laundry.

We cook and share meals two or three times a week, often eating around the communal fire.

We benefit from the practice of consensus decision making; inclusiveness; fully using the wisdom of the group; the principles of cooperation; non-violence; environmental responsibility and sustainability; social justice; tenant participation; and last, but by no means least – learning to love.