Cohousing for Life: A Practical and Personal Story of Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood

In Cohousing for Life , architect Robin Allison describes her journey from lonely mother of two in the suburbs to determined driver of the development of New Zealand’s first cohousing community. It is a very personal story of a collective endeavour, a heroic journey of despair and triumph, as the obstacles mount and success at times feels far from certain. Cohousing for Life is also a distillation of what has been learnt: from formulating an inspiring vision to community governance and decision making; from community design principles to participatory design processes; from legal and financial structures to reflections on power and leadership. Robin details the key elements and structures that were critical to achieving their goal, allowing a group of diverse individuals with ordinary lives and skills to work together over many years to create a large, innovative, housing development.