Cohousing — Tākaka Cohousing

Simone, founder & resident, shares her experience of community life

Cohousing Principles

Community & Privacy

Privacy is important to us. We have thoughtful designed home layouts that create privacy between the homes and gardens for peace and tranquility. The shared spaces are designed for community events, connection and collective food growing.
Shared Resources

Shared resources offer a range of benefits, contributing to sustainability, affordability and community wellbeing. By sharing tools, equipment, and facilities, we are building an efficient system that provides more equality and support to our residents.
Sustainable Design

To create a safe space for our children to play, cohousing neighbourhoods choose to keep the cars to the outside. This allows for a park like setting with more space for growing food, gardens, play spaces and the community to meet and interact.

The Common House

The Common House is the residents collective second home. It’s where the community can gather for meals, making decisions together, celebrating and connecting, becoming the hub of the community. It is made from local Macrocarpa timber and hempcrete blocks. This building is scheduled for completion in May 2024.
Gardens & Green Spaces

There are many green spaces from private gardens, to shared growing spaces, open lawn spaces for the children to run around in and shelter belt planting. These are key spaces for connection amonst the community, places to grow food together, socialise and relax. These space allow the community to connect with the whenua.
Workshop & Storage

Residents use this space to store additional belongings outside their homes as well as where we store our collective assets, from shared tools, ladders, lawnmowers, to prevent each household needing to own these items individually. The workshop is for woodwork, craft and other creative projects.