Residencial Santa Clara is a senior cohousing project in Málaga, Spain, organised and managed through the non-profit Los Milagros Andalusian Cooperative.5 The cooperative was founded in 1991 by a group of people seeking a shared alternative for later life based on collective ownership, resident participation and self-management.511 Aurora Moreno González is identified as the project’s founder and president of the cooperative.511
The development is located on a hillside in the Montes de Málaga, approximately 2.7 kilometres from the urban centre.6 It comprises 76 independent apartments of around 50 square metres, each with a terrace, alongside shared facilities and services.6 The project is intended for people aged 50 and over who meet the cooperative’s health and admission requirements.6
Residents retain an individual home while jointly managing the building, community and services. Its facilities include gardens, a swimming pool, a library, a chapel, a gymnasium, therapy rooms, hairdressing services and Wi-Fi.6 The cooperative also provides or coordinates medical assistance, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, cleaning, meals, maintenance and activities designed to support daily living and social interaction.26
Santa Clara’s scope extends beyond housing: it combines accommodation, common spaces, care-related services and organised activities for older residents. The project’s stated model is based on active ageing and participation, with residents involved in managing the cooperative and shaping communal life.25 The residential complex was built during the 1990s and began operating around 2000; construction started in 1991, while other documentation records its inauguration on 7 June 2001.29 It is widely described as an early or pioneering example of senior cohousing in Spain.34