Canadian society is facing a marked demographic shift as the baby boom generation ages. By 2031 almost 25 percent of Canadians will be over sixty-five; many of those will be north of eighty and the oldest boomers will be turning eighty-five. One person in four will be a senior. The lack of acceptable intermediate solutions between independence and institutionalization has been pointed out as one of the significant problems facing elderly persons; traditional ‘institutional’ care which keeps older people apart and medicalizes old age, is no longer desirable. Likewise, the ‘golden ghettoes’ model may be appealing to those who can afford it but does not contribute to producing diverse, inclusive urban places. This thesis is an exploration of an alternative strategy. It investigates how architecture can provide a platform for social connection in a residential environment that allows in equal measure both independence without isolation, and informal community with safety and security. The design proposal establishes five architectural strategies which address the fundamental spatial implications of encouraging aging-in-place. This exploration is supplemented with a cohousing strategy, providing a formal organizational tactic that encourages groups of residents to mutually support each other, strengthening social inclusion and reducing the use of formal care and support only where absolutely necessary. The methodology employed examines the mutually dependent and interactive scales of City, Neighbourhood, Building, and Dwelling in conceiving of housing for an aging population that becomes a catalyst of urban integration and community regeneration.

Paris’ population, throughout its modern history has sculpted a unique urban culture for itself. An ambiguous realm between the intimate and the public has evolved as a result of the political and economic influences experienced by the residents and immigrants in this city. Within this realm there is a typology and morphology that has a unique capacity to support both intimacy and privacy. This realm has the capacity to extend and restore a dimension of public space and experience that was eroded by the modern rushing stream. The morphology, while extending the public also frames the thresholds that are needed to maintain a sense of private and intimate space. My interest in historical typologies and the reuse of existing buildings for contemporary living led me to choose a vacant building in Paris as the site for a rehabilitation project. I began this project with a historical study of Paris. The trends in Paris’ residential architecture and urban development from 1528 to present day coupled with my experiences of living and working there, made up the background for this thesis. There was one dialectical theme that continually recurred throughout my research: The desire and necessity of public life contrasted by the yearning to retreat and protect the intimate, private life. The recognition of this theme helped me to form a better understanding of the individuals that make up the collective population of Paris and how their perceptions of personal space require certain thresholds to maintain their sense of comfort and security. The project that resulted was an attempt to mediate the distinct perceptions of this dialectic. The rehabilitation of the derelict building and the projected possibilities for rest of its block were meant to reconcile the display and retreat that characterized the renaissance period with the transparency that was introduced by modernity into Paris’ city centre in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Canadian society is facing a marked demographic shift as the baby boom generation ages. By 2031 almost 25 percent of Canadians will be over sixty-five; many of those will be north of eighty and the oldest boomers will be turning eighty-five. One person in four will be a senior. The lack of acceptable intermediate solutions between independence and institutionalization has been pointed out as one of the significant problems facing elderly persons; traditional ‘institutional’ care which keeps older people apart and medicalizes old age, is no longer desirable. Likewise, the ‘golden ghettoes’ model may be appealing to those who can afford it but does not contribute to producing diverse, inclusive urban places. This thesis is an exploration of an alternative strategy. It investigates how architecture can provide a platform for social connection in a residential environment that allows in equal measure both independence without isolation, and informal community with safety and security. The design proposal establishes five architectural strategies which address the fundamental spatial implications of encouraging aging-in-place. This exploration is supplemented with a cohousing strategy, providing a formal organizational tactic that encourages groups of residents to mutually support each other, strengthening social inclusion and reducing the use of formal care and support only where absolutely necessary. The methodology employed examines the mutually dependent and interactive scales of City, Neighbourhood, Building, and Dwelling in conceiving of housing for an aging population that becomes a catalyst of urban integration and community regeneration.

Les travaux présentés traitent de la mise en place d’une méthode pour la conduite d’opérations d’Habitat Participatif. Ils ont été menés avec une société de logement social qui assume les rôles d’aménageur, de promoteur et de gestionnaire locatif. Notre partenaire souhaite développer une nouvelle offre : l’Habitat Participatif. L’objectif est d’impliquer les futurs occupants dans l’opération de construction de leur résidence afin de garantir leur satisfaction.Cette approche présente de nombreuses similitudes avec la conception participative qui a démontré ses bénéfices pour la qualité des produits manufacturés, comme pour la satisfaction des utilisateurs. Dans le Logement, les opérations d’Habitat Participatif sont très rares et généralement menées par des habitants désireux de se soustraire des promoteurs immobiliers.Plusieurs arguments expliquent ce décalage entre les deux secteurs. Contrairement aux produits manufacturés, l’objet construit est unique. La conception d’un bâtiment doit en effet s’adapter aux spécificités locales et son environnement de production, le chantier, est incertain. De plus, sur les projets publics, la loi impose la séparation entre propriétaires, concepteurs et constructeurs. Cette situation constitue un obstacle au partage de bonnes pratiques et renforce des mécanismes de coordination basés sur de la communication informelle. Les opérations de construction sont donc considérées non-répétables.Un second argument qui explique le faible nombre de projets d’Habitat Participatifs réside dans les spécificités culturelles du secteur. La satisfaction des occupants n’est que rarement mesurée et le décalage en termes de connaissances et dans la communication avec les professionnels est particulièrement marqué.Contrairement à l’industrie manufacturière, la formalisation d’un processus participatif s’oppose aux pratiques d’un secteur où les projets ne sont pas répétables et par conséquent peu formalisés. Nous démontrons par la suite l’importance de formaliser le processus participatif qui devra être mené, puis alertons des conséquences de l’implication des habitants. Nous nous intéressons ainsi au phénomène de résistance au changement organisationnel. Dans notre contexte, l’accompagnement des individus au changement organisationnel semble constituer une réponse pertinente à ce phénomène.L’objectif de cette thèse est donc de définir puis tester une réponse méthodologique à l’Habitat Participatif. En premier lieu, nous proposons un processus type en définissant les rôles de chacune des parties prenantes sur les différentes étapes d’une opération immobilière. Nous explicitons le niveau et les thématiques de participation nécessaires pour obtenir la satisfaction des futurs occupants. Afin d’analyser la mise en œuvre de nos recommandations, nous développons un formalisme de modélisation des processus intégrant les contraintes et de manipulation inhérentes aux professionnels. En second lieu, nous construisons une démarche d’accompagnement des individus au changement pour prévenir les difficultés causées par un bouleversement des conventions en vigueur entre les professionnels.Notre proposition est testée sur deux opérations participatives successives. Sur la base d’observation participante, d’entretiens et de questionnaires nous mettons en évidence l’incidence positive de la conception participative sur la satisfaction. Dans un second temps, nous comparons les démarches d’accompagnement au changement mises en place et leurs effets sur les deux opérations. Nous constatons que mieux l’accompagnement est mené moins les incidents sur des questions de collaboration ou communication sont significatifs.En conséquence, nous confirmons la pertinence d’une approche de conduite des projets d’Habitat Participatif combinant l’implication des habitants dans une configuration de conception participative et l’accompagnement des professionnels au changement organisationnel. / The implementation of a method for the conduct of cohousing operations is the subject of this study. Our partner is social housing company that is a property developer and a rental manager. One of his objectives is to develop a new offer: cohousing. The objective is to involve the future occupants in the design process of their residence in order to guarantee their satisfaction.This approach has many similarities with participatory design methods that have demonstrated their benefits for the quality of the manufactured products as well as for the user satisfaction. In the French Housing sector, cohousing operations are uncommon and generally carried out by residents who want to avoid property developers.Several arguments explain this gap between the two sectors. Unlike manufactured products, the constructed object is unique. The design of a building must adapt to local specificities and its production environment, the construction site, is under uncertainty.Moreover, on public projects, the law orders the separation between owners, designers and builders. This constitutes an obstacle to the sharing of good practices and strengthen coordination mechanisms based on informal communication. Construction operations are therefore considered non-repeatable. A second argument that explains the low number of cohousing projects lies in the cultural specificities of the sector. Occupant satisfaction is rarely measured and the gap in terms of knowledge and communication with professionals is huge. Unlike manufacturing industry, the formalization of a participatory process is in contradiction with the practices of a sector where projects are not repeatable and therefore not very formalized. We then demonstrate the importance of formalizing the participatory process that must be carried out, and then alert the consequences of the involvement of the inhabitants. We are interested in the phenomenon of resistance to organizational change. In our context, the management of organizational change seems to constitute a pertinent answer to this phenomenon.The objective of this doctoral thesis is therefore to define and then test a methodology for Cohousing projects. First, we propose a process modelling by defining the roles of each stakeholder on the different stages of a real estate operation. We explain the level and the topics of participation to obtain the satisfaction of the future occupants. In order to analyze the implementation of our recommendations, we develop a model for the formalization of the cohousing process integrating the using constraints of the professionals. Secondly, we are building a process of organizational change management in order to prevent the difficulties caused by an upheaval in the conventions shared between professionals.Our proposal is tested on two successive cohousing operations. On the basis of participant observation, interviews and questionnaires, we highlight the positive impact of participatory design on satisfaction. In a second step, we compare the accompanying steps with the change implemented and their effects on the two operations. We find that the better the change management is conducted the less the incidents on collaboration or communication issues are significant. Consequently, we confirm the relevance of a cohousing project management methodology that combines the involvement of the inhabitants in a participative design process and the organizational change management.

The thesis deals with cohousing; a concept of living based on common spaces and shared facilities. In the first phase, the aim is to provide a summary of the development of cohousing and other similar forms of housing in the world and also in Czechia. The second phase focuses on a concrete by cohousing inspired residential project located in the inner city of Prague. In the work it appears under the name Klidná. The second phase aims to find out what led the communication partners to choose Klidná as a new place of residence, how important role did the specific aspects based on cohousing played in the decision-making process and finally how are the ideas of this concept being fulfilled in everyday life of the inhabitants. The research is of a qualitative nature and the main method of data collection is realization of deep semi-structured interviews, which are subsequently evaluated on the basis of theoretical thematic analysis. Based on the study, none of the communication partners chose Klidná because of the concept of cohousing. They perceived the existence of common areas, small scale of the project or its spatial layout rather as a pleasant bonus. Fulfilling ideas of the concept in everyday life of the informants corresponds with the nature of the project and the context in which it was...

The cohousing movement started in the United States in the 1990’s and since then has spread to over 160 communities throughout the country. This type of community is characterized by small dwelling units, high housing density, shared facilities such as a common house, shared commons and grouped parking. These are pedestrian-oriented communities with car circulation restricted to the outskirts of the neighborhood. Cohousing settlements have the goal of promoting social interaction and sustainable living through design, programming, and shared ideals. Many design characteristics, such as house proximity, density, building height and size, the location of parking, the availability of common spaces, and size of private spaces influence social interaction in the community. However, design is not solely responsible for promoting socialization. Other variables such as programming and personal ideologies also need to be taken into consideration when analyzing social interaction within cohousing communities. With regard to sustainability, cohousing is a valid option compared to traditional housing types because it encourages resource sharing, promotes a mixed-use and mixed-income environment, and strengthens social networks. Cohousing communities can thrive in a variety of shapes, sizes and settings, and have varying degrees of outdoor spaces and availability. This study considers how outdoor spaces affect socialization behavior among residents in cohousing and aims to provide recommendations for shaping outdoor spaces in such settings. Methods include a literature review, an analysis of case studies, spatial analysis, on-site observations, informal conversations and referencing previously conducted surveys.

Turbine - investigates Notion(s) of Home(s) from three perspectives; the individual, the collective and in relation to a neighbourhood. This is done through the eyes of a fictional collective called The Turbine, situated in Hjorthagen, Stockholm. The fictional collective is based on an NGO called Kombo, currently working for a collective house for all ages to be built within the Stockholm area.

This master's thesis looks into sociological perspectives on shared housing, or cohousing, and it is based on a case study of a project in Těšíkovská bydlina. The thesis picks up on the sociological studies of the community, which narrow down the influence of communities, and neighborly relations on the formation of shared housing. The thesis also describes various models of living together and provides specific examples of cohosing projects in various European countries. The second part of the thesis palces focus on the Bydlinská zahrádka project itself, where it employs the techniques of semi-structured interviews, narration and observation for a qualitiative study of the community. Drawing on the data garnered in this research, this work criticizes Tönnies' concepts of Gemeinshaft and Gesselschaft and further places the principles of shared living in our country in comparison with modern European trends. The work thus brings out a unique perspective on the phenomenom of cohousing in the Czech context and contributes to the discussion of why this way of living finds such a small response the Czech Republic.

This master's thesis looks into sociological perspectives on shared housing, or cohousing, and it is based on a case study of a project in Těšíkovská bydlina. The thesis picks up on the sociological studies of the community, which narrow down the influence of communities, and neighborly relations on the formation of shared housing. The thesis also describes various models of living together and provides specific examples of cohosing projects in various European countries. The second part of the thesis palces focus on the Bydlinská zahrádka project itself, where it employs the techniques of semi-structured interviews, narration and observation for a qualitiative study of the community. Drawing on the data garnered in this research, this work criticizes Tönnies' concepts of Gemeinshaft and Gesselschaft and further places the principles of shared living in our country in comparison with modern European trends. The work thus brings out a unique perspective on the phenomenom of cohousing in the Czech context and contributes to the discussion of why this way of living finds such a small response the Czech Republic.

Work shows a possible strategy to deal with the mass housing estates in the Czech Republic. That static and monotonous settlement can be flexible structure. Strategy shows one approach to transforming the settlement structure. It is a return to traditional town morphology and thereby achieve urban character and utilization of housing benefits that this structure offers. The settlement becomes readable by adding city-forming element such as streets, squares and city blocks.