Corvallis Cohousing

The Coho Cohousing project, designed by SERA Architects, Inc. in conjunction with Katie McCamant of the Cohousing Company, is comprised of a 34 unit housing project with a 3,200 square foot Common House, a woodshop, 8 private garages, and a bike barn. The units, which are designed in two basic configurations –two-story townhouses and flats stacked two levels high, range in size from an 812 square foot, 2 bedroom unit to a 1,400 square foot, 4 bedroom unit. The nine residential buildings are configured along a main circulation path that culminates at the Common House. The Common House is the heart of the community and main area of interaction between residents. It houses a large kitchen, which is used to prepare common meals and a dining sized to accommodate all the residents of the community. In addition to the kitchen and dining room, the shared CoHo Cohousing is a group of Corvallis residents who are interested in living in a supportive community with more meaningful relationships with their neighbors. The Corvallis Co-housing project consists of ten (10) individual buildings on a large site in southeast Corvallis. Nine of the buildings are dedicated for residential housing. One building - the Common House - has multiple uses including a dining area and a large kitchen for group meals. The common house is located on the street side of the property serving as the entry marker/ welcome center to the site. Parking is minimized and is located to the north on the site, with the homes organized around a pedestrian street to encourage interaction among residents. One goal of the site planning process was to maximize the number of homes with south facing orientations of either front or back facades to optimize the potential for passive solar heating. This also maximizes the potential for south facing roof areas for solar photovoltaics (generating electricity) and/or hot water panels. Approximately two-thirds of the property is covered in trees and brush including Oak, Maples, Cottonwoods, Firs, Hawthorne, Alders, fruit trees and the ever-present blackberry. In deciding which trees and habitats are most important to preserve, the community agreed that the larger native hardwood trees (Oaks and Maples) and clusters of habitat would be their highest priority. Whenever possible, the community looked to preserve connected natural areas to create larger areas of habitat. The community removed most of the firs which are not native to the area and will crowd out native hardwoods as well as shade more of the site. The fir was reused as site furniture for the project and provides firewood for the Common house wood stove. . The community’s vision for the site is “to balance / participate / support / care take the community’s relationship with the natural environment toward mutual restoration of the land, people and other living things.” The following goals were identified in the site design charrette: • Optimize restoration of the part of the site which will not be built on • Identify places where people can connect with land and nature • Avoid endangering the ancient oak and other trees we want to protect • Use vegetation compatible with local natural systems • Encourage bike use • Limit car space • Garden of adequate size – also orchard and other edible landscaping • Understand permaculture and organic practices • Save and use topsoil displaced during construction • Intelligent pest management