Communities: Co-Housing & Mixed-Use Housing Models

As people change the way they live and work, their housing needs evolve as well. In the past, most homes were designed for traditional family structures, but today, a family can be defined in 37 different ways.

 

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Co-Housing & Mixed-Use: Future Housing Models & Urban Environments

Modern housing organizations are increasingly interested in redefining traditional housing to accommodate different lifestyles and needs:

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• Senior Co-Housing Communities: These can be newly built complexes or repurposed buildings such as former hospitals or factories. They offer small private apartments combined with spacious shared areas to encourage community engagement and social activities.

• Divorce Apartments: This innovative housing model places both divorced parents in the same building, eliminating the need for children to move back and forth each week. Children’s rooms are located between the parents’ apartments, ensuring a seamless transition between homes.

• Shared Intranet: Many housing complexes have introduced a communal digital platform, allowing residents to coordinate household tasks like laundry, childcare, and maintenance, strengthening community bonds and efficiency.

• Reduced Rent Through Self-Management: Some housing organizations offer lower rent in exchange for tenants taking on maintenance tasks like mowing lawns and cleaning rooftops, fostering a sense of shared responsibility.

• ‘Friendly Housing’: This unique concept encourages community integration by, for example, pairing a student with a refugee to assist in the integration process, fostering mutual support and cultural exchange.

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Mixed-Use Developments: A Growing Trend

Beyond co-housing models, there is a rising interest in mixed-use developments, where residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, and entertainment functions are integrated into the same area. These projects can take the form of individual buildings, housing blocks, or entire neighborhoods, developed by private investors, public institutions, or a combination of both.

 

Examples of successful mixed-use projects can be found in cities like Copenhagen, Berlin, and Vienna, where housing is combined with retail spaces, exhibition venues, cafés, and offices, creating vibrant and dynamic urban environments.