Cohousing & Community-led Living

As Europe grapples with an escalating housing crisis and an epidemic of loneliness, community-led living models offer a compelling alternative to speculative development. By positioning human connection at the heart of the built environment, intentional communities provide built-in antidotes to social isolation. These models encompass a broad spectrum of practices, from intergenerational neighbourhoods that naturally embed informal care into daily life, to cohousing schemes designed around shared infrastructure. Communal kitchens, workspaces, and gardens not only foster mutual support but also allow residents to enjoy a higher quality of life on fewer private square metres. Increasingly recognised in European policy discussions surrounding the just transition, collaborative housing demonstrates how co-design and shared governance can reduce per-person environmental footprints while strengthening social cohesion.

Below, you will find a curated selection of resources, organisations, and practical examples that bring these concepts to life. The knowledge section features reports on social-ecological cooperative housing and deep dives into how living labs are reinventing co-operatives. You can explore the work of pioneering organisations such as Almenr, Assemble, and Baugenossenschaft mehr als wohnen, alongside concrete projects ranging from A House for Artists to Brutopia and Bikes and Rails. The page also highlights relevant events, including the Zusammenleben Festival and Placemaking Week Europe, where practitioners gather to exchange ideas. We invite you to browse these materials to understand the practicalities of governance, shared spaces, and community building in modern collaborative housing.