The core concept of my design is connection through cooperation and the way which the in-between-spaces can enhance or contradict it. The intension was to create a masterplan that incorporates this idea and to find ways to enhance the connectivity of my design on both the microscale and macroscale.
Since I started thinking about my concept, I realised that there is a plethora of examples, whether we examine humanity or nature (flora and fauna), that are based on co-operation to resolve the issues that occur and move forward. Co-operation, in a sense, is the basis of evolution and life itself.
Co-housing is based on co-operation. It is about connecting and working together to maintain not just a building but a community which has a "common house" as its epicentre. The way I perceive it, a common house is not just a place for people to gather, eat and participate in activities together as a community, but it has the potential to offer people the opportunity to be part of debates which go beyond the community itself. Common houses and community centres, if organised properly, can be the bases for a more democratic and prosperous society.