Suvana Cohousing Design Brief

Suvana is planned as part of a development that includes two cohousing communities! These communities will be managed separately, and each will have their own common house and shared garden. However, the plan to have two neighbouring cohousing communities next to each other open the opportunity to share certain spaces. Therefore, you may see references to the neighbouring cohousing community in the design brief.

External Shared Spaces

The external shared spaces should be:

• Reflective of Buddhist values

• Uplifting - with beautiful buildings, trees, nature and art combined

• Inviting spaces to tempt you out and to linger

• Providing a connection to nature and animals

• Capable of growing food to eat

The spaces, necessary and desired, were prioritised as follows:

• The necessities of access, bins, bike storage and car parking

• Shared garden

• Central lane

• DIY store

• Wild area

• Common House terrace

• Laundry drying area *

• Greenhouse

• Ritual space

• Compost

• Roof garden

• Chicken area **

* Discussed later and not consented at this time - for review if there is an invisible corner for hanging sheets somewhere.

**Some people consider it unethical to keep chickens. Those who ultimately move into the community will have to agree whether chicken-keeping is desirable or not.

The details of the spaces were elaborated on as follows:

Ritual space

Unique to this group. A beautiful serene space, simple and sheltered with a central stupa/Buddha. Away from the play area.

Wild area

Unique to this group. Biodiverse and uncultivated. Not for human activities. Does not need to be in the central garden. But note although no tree zone was identified by this group - this is more because trees were wanted everywhere!

Bike storage

Plenty of spaces needed. More than compliance levels. Need to include space for cargo bikes and mobility scooters. Secure and covered. Over-looked for security. Will need access to power. Spaces for visitors also needed.

Rubbish

Functional, convenient and discrete. Ideally near a ‘back yard area’.

Car-parking

Ideally covered and softened with planting, and a non-slippery surface when icy.

Central lane

Lively, incorporates nature. Enables for accidental encounters, sitting and children playing. Car free zone important.

Shared garden

Mix of textures and levels - a checkerboard mix. Peaceful. With benches and informal seating,

Common House Terrace

A versatile space with shelter from sun and rain.

Play space

Far from meditation and ritual spaces and quieter spaces. In/near community garden - viewable

from as many spaces as possible for supervision.

Growing area

With some raised beds, with access to secure storage, near compost bins. With watering

system and outside tap. Away from play area and wild area.

Compost area

Room for 2-3 bins, near the growing area.

Greenhouse

Not near the playing area. In a sunny space with paved access.

DIY store

Secure storage for garden equipment (& kiln?)

Chicken area

Close to the garden.

Common House / Internal Shared Spaces

The internal shared spaces should:

• Give you reasons to go there / invite you in

• Be useable by all ages, something for everyone, entrances all easily accessible

• Be characterful, with a homely, warm and cosy feel… attractive, inviting, comfortable, sense of spaciousness

• Be easy to keep clean and maintain with plenty of storage spaces

• Have good acoustics

• Be a central place for deliveries

• Have site-wite network or Wi-Fi

The spaces needed for envisioned activities were prioritised in the order below:

We recognise that not all spaces will be feasible. Where there was felt to be capacity to share a space with neighbouring cohousing community on a reciprocal basis that is marked with an *.

• Cleaning and cupboard supplies, storage & toilets

• Kitchen

• Large social space

• Laundry

• Guest room 1 ensuite*

• Shrine Room

• Co-working space*

• Quieter sitting room

• Play area

• Workshop*

• Guest room 2*

• Shop/refill space*

• Guest room 3*

The details of the spaces were elaborated on as follows:

Practical must-haves

• Cleaning and cupboard supplies: Walk-in lockable cupboard with automatic internal light.

• Storage: Everything from garden items during winter months through to spare furniture, bulky items, shared items, etc.

• Toilets: Potential for grey-water with laundry. Robust and easy to clean in design.

• Plus capacity for parcel and postal delivery and collection.

Kitchen

Attractive but predominantly functional and easy to clean. Near to dining area (and maybe growing area), with servery and with storage for dry goods and equipment.

Large social space

Close to the kitchen, toilets, terrace and maybe near play area. Seating area for meals typically for 10-12 plus some foldable tables and chairs stored for greater numbers. Light with good acoustics but not with an institutional feel. Suitable for occasional public access too.

Laundry room

Near to other social spaces in the Common House.

Guest room 1

Ensuite. See comments for other guest rooms.

Shrine Room

A simple quiet space and location reflects this need, Ideally overlooking greenery. Focal point for the shrine needs to be designed in. Natural and subdued lighting with spotlight above the shrine. Ideally to seat 20x-30 people and be accessible to the public for meditation sessions. To be explored further re size and cost.

Co-working space

Good level of daylight and with access nearby to toilet, sink for drinks. In a relatively quiet area of the Common House. Internet access.

Smaller separate social space

A smaller quieter space for smaller meetings with access to water for tea. Sized for ~8 people.

Play area

Away from the shrine room but near the social areas to enable some adult supervision.

Workshop

Away from quiet areas, secure area, with good lighting and multiple electrical sockets.

Shop & refills

Draws people into the Common House so central area or cupboard.

Guest rooms 2 & 3

Adaptable to use for other purposes, close to toilet/shower/sink for drinking water.

Homes

• Energy efficient, highly sustainable homes using environmentally-friendly materials, ideally built at passive house standard. There were some concerns about the longevity of some external materials that might have low embodied carbon which links to the next theme.

• Homes with low running and maintenance costs, ideally supported by building to a minimum of a 60-year life cycle standard. Accessible and adaptable homes to future proof homes to support people at differing stages of their lives, including growing families and aging.

• Maximising natural light in kitchens and living rooms and prioritising, where possible, views of nature where possible in terms of views from kitchens and living rooms. There was a 50/50 split on the importance of natural light in a bathroom and some discussion about a laundry room in the family homes.

• Note: need for one larger home with 4-5 similarly-sized double bedrooms.