Cohousing Positive community resistance to hyper-individualist market society Matthieu Lietaert European University Institute Degrowth conference Paris, April 18 th 2008

Cohousing? What? –A neighbourhood development (10 to 25 units) where private and common facilities are combined Where? –In (semi-)urban context Why? –To provide answers to the social and the practical needs of citizens How? –Bottom-up approach

Historical Overview First cohousings –in mid 1970’s, Denmark –Rapidly spread to Sweden and Holland 1990’s onwards: Huge boom in the USA 2000: –Japan, Rest of Europe, Australia, Canada –1000 cohousings built, same amount in process –Denmark: 2 % of population live in cohousing –Boom of Cohousing for elderly people

Cohousing & Degrowth? Assumption 1: –Hyper-Individualism requiers illimited growth –Community enables “efficient sharing” and degrowth Assumption 2: –Lack of public spaces requiers growth –Private “public spaces” enable degrowth

Cohousing & Degrowth? At individual/neighboorhood level, Cohousing enables: new local social relations new local social relations new time management new space management new consumption patterns new consumption patterns

Increase of local social contacts Increase of local social contacts –Common meeting spaces –Contacts and activities with direct neighbours –Inclusion of groups with specific needs ChildrenElders Young couples Singles Differently able people high level of privacy when needed high level of privacy when needed Self-management and empowerment

New Time Management New Time Management –Cooking activity Individually: 35h-40h monthly Community: 5h-10h monthly –Schooling of children Transport and homework. Babysitting “Every child should have 100 parents”

Alternative Consumption Pattern –Sharing & Re-use Cars, bikes, tools, toys, washing machines, Clothes (especially for children) –Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETs) Time Banks Direct contact with local (organic) producers –House Smaller (cheaper appartment) Bigger common house (shared cost) Ecology: low CO2 emissions (UCL, 2008)

Problems in mainstreaming? Market Society: Atomisation –Citizens >> consumers Critique of “community life” since 80’s –Top-down hierarchy, no privacy –Communism, failure Decision-making –From individual/family level to Community –Need to learn a new language: facilitation and consensus Housing market –Expensive Intermediaries –Speculation

Cohousing Positive community resistance to hyper-individualist market society Matthieu Lietaert European University Institute Degrowth conference Paris, April 18 th 2008