As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world- that is the myth of the atomic age- as in being able to remake ourselves.
- Mahatma Gandhi
Evanston is a community of many resources, and plenty of enthusiasm for green initiatives. Our city’s Strategic Plan identified sustainability and strengthening community as two of our three guiding values: we want to promote awareness of environmental issues, inspire people to live more sustainably, and at the same time strengthen our community. We propose a novel way of tackling these goals: a radically sustainable, spiritually-oriented co-housing community center. We believe that the community of Evanston would treasure a project that made sustainability and community tangible and authentic.
Fusing co-housing, or communal living, with a community center is a unique concept with many surprising benefits. It would mean that costs could be shared: suddenly both new housing and a new community center would become affordable. Communal living brings together people that might not normally meet; people of different ages, ethnicities, and classes are drawn to it, driven to find new ways to communicate and cooperate. My experience has been that living communally while sharing both a practice and compassionate intention can utterly transform the way we relate to each other. It can break down all sorts of inner barriers, and rearrange our priorities so that they become based on love and care. In terms of sustainability, sharing some of one’s living space achieves energy efficiency almost effortlessly, as space, food, heat and light are shared; there is little wasted in communal situations. Finally, combining co-housing with a community center would ensure that all visitors experienced for themselves the strength, generosity, and caring of our community. No impersonal or underused city building, this place would always be humming with life.
The center could have space for small-scale community events, like meetings, workshops and lectures, and cultural events like chamber music, art shows and poetry readings. There would be a communal teaching kitchen and dining room for sharing meals. We could include a peaceful space for meditation, yoga, and prayer; host spiritual workshops; and encourage developing interfaith dialogue. We could offer daily, free, non-denominational group meditation. Meditation is simple, free, and effective; engendering serenity, empathy, and sensitivity to our surroundings; it is a practice, not a religion. Sharing a practice is extremely helpful in fostering a spirit of harmony, the essence of community strength.
This would be a community center built on a human scale, and deliberately designed for long-term human happiness. This space could include a garden and greenhouse, where we could grow some of our own food. Students could work alongside skilled gardeners in the communal garden and greenhouse. They could learn to cook healthy meals in the teaching kitchen, and discover the pleasure of creating delicious food together. We could share regular potluck-style meals with the whole community, and offer regular meals to the hungry.
There would be a children’s room, with unusual books, musical instruments, art supplies and murals, and green space outside to play and read. The center could have many, many community functions, as long as the space was inviting and the residents flexible.
As we aspire to model a truly sustainable way of life, the building should be as green as possible, and make a boldly green visual statement. Building with extreme energy-efficiency has been proven to radically reduce the need for heating and cooling. We
could build a tightly insulated structure using passive solar design, incorporate geothermal, solar and/or wind technology, and eliminate dependence on fossil fuels. We could build a green roof to further insulate the building, filter pollutants and absorb floodwater. (One exciting development in permaculture is living walls, sure to be a hit with children.) There are many other ingenious innovations available today that we could use to become more self-sufficient and promote true environmental responsibility. In short, we could build a sustainable, highly functional space that could serve as a vivid model and inspiration for the next 150 years.
author with fellow residents at CZC
The time is ripe for a dramatic change in the way we live, as problems such as climate change, dwindling energy supplies and disintegrating communities become more dire every year. Intentional communities are part of the solution to emerging global problems, and must be part of sustainability initiatives. The greater community can benefit by seeing them up close, and participating in them as much as they like. Families, students and seniors could choose to rent or buy in at affordable rates; guests and interns could sample the communal life in smaller doses. The residents could organize a variety of programs with minimal fuss and cost, precisely because they lived on-site. Simple programs like meditation, urban agriculture, and communal cooking and meals would be low-cost, yet high-benefit activities for our community; fostering good health and happiness, a spirit of cooperation, practical knowledge and environmental responsibility. Cultural, educational, and interdenominational lectures, workshops, and events would ensure that this space became a thriving community center.
wow this sounds like a great idea…. I live on the north side of chi…. not to far from evanston… I am a passionate musician, lover of life, promoter of waking up, Organic real unprocessed food, meditation, yoga etc…. Not sure when you guys are gonna get this thing going, but it seems very very incredible, and you should keep me posted. Maybe i could help or live there… I live month to month lease now…. If you know anything about the artist alex grey, I went out to new york and helped him set up his gallery and helped with discussions and events. Love and light,
Kyle
I love this. Its called co-housing in other parts of the world. What are your thoughts on the physical space–a rehabbed old loft? It sounds like it should be a pre-existing building (factory conversion) …or did you have building a new one in mind? Zoning and codes are always a mess whenever something different is taken on in a city. Evanston sounds perfect for this sort of innovation though. A very open minded “green” sort of city.
I could see a roof top food garden, perhaps even some chickens (Chicago now allows chickens–not sure about evanston yet) On the bottom street level would be the community spaces you mention. I could talk hours about this…have done some explorations into co-housing….its really the way more of America should go. I believe the is an association…I will do a little research on co-housing in America.
Hi Mary Anne, thanks for posting. You are correct that it would be a co-housing situation, except for the fact that the whole community has to get behind the idea, so it must also be a community center. I think that in order to be environmentally sustainable and carbon neutral, it would have to be within one large building, but I’m no expert on green building. I sure hope that you can come to the meeting, but if not, please post here whatever you find on co-housing that might be helpful. Thank you!
Just Google “Co-housing in America”
And this is the Association for the USA:
http://www.cohousing.org/
David Brooks in his book “The Social Animal” points out the importance of community as a support for working families of lower to middle income. As an example he mentions the high rise apartments which were thought to be an improvement for families living in old, derelict houses but instead destroyed the support systems in the communities which had developed over many years. The high rise apts became crime ridden and a type of ghetto. Brooks emphasizes the opportunities available to wealthier families and the time for encouragement to their children create a divide between the classes. If a support group, in the form of this community center you propose, was able to provide this encouragement to poorer families, you may find the children are much more able to cope and excel in school and in life.
I love this intention.
Personally, I would lead with skill building in interpersonal relationship. Here in Boulder, we have been pushing the edge of this concept with what some of us are calling Inter-subjective Meditation…which is a rather heady way to describe a way of relating that is decidedly non-intellectual. It is about feeling, communicating feeling, and receiving the communicated feeling of others.
The practice combines responsible communication, awareness of the present moment and facilitating inner exploration.
The result of this practice for us has been a deep shared reality that happens very fast. From this shared reality, mutual respect and appreciation naturally arises. With this mutual respect and appreciation, anything is possible.
We have not set a shared intention with our Boulder group beyond deepening our connection. Boulder is fairly progressive in the areas you mention, and we each seem to get our fill of engagement in many of these areas individually, outside of our relating groups.
We draw on the work of Susan Campbell http://www.susancampbell.com/
Authentic World in San Francisco http://www.authenticworld.org/
And many coaches and therapists in the Boulder region.
The power of starting with deep, healthy relating is that the group deepens connection and learns to deal directly with challenges(and opportunities), as they arise.
It is my belief, that without a shared practice in authentic relating, any endeavor such as this is doomed to fail…or merely flounder, no matter how ideal the intent. This is, after all, an exercise in community and communities function best with shared reality, shared vision, and shared intention.
Let me know if I can support from afar
case
Thanks so much Casey, for your thoughtful criticism. I think that there would indeed have to be a shared intention, something along the lines of living in harmony with each other (meditation is helpful here), harmony with nature (i.e., sustainability), and a commitment to serving our community. I think that by living and working together, sharing a meditation practice, and serving the public, we will build strong relationship skills. I’m also hoping that we could hold various workshops, both spiritual and worldly, where we could learn specific skills. I’m looking forward to learning more about Intersubjective Meditation!
I have just read the proposal as well as all the comments. Interesting concept. I do wonder how each of the people that have commented are contributing their time as well as their talents to their respective communities currently. Can you not just start with serving your community, ie the public at a soup kitchen for instance. Or do your ideas only work within the criteria you suggest as an enlightened type of community that seems insulated to mainstream society? Just asking.
Thanks for your input! Can’t comment on my commenters, but I do agree that there is no need to wait until we have the perfect setup to serve our communities. It’s just that a public space dedicated to community and care might inspire service on a larger scale. In my vision the center would be anything but insular, and instead depend on public participation.
Natalie,
This is an exciting proposal. I just wanted to give you a heads up on Reba Place Fellowship, a Christian intentional community that has been in south Evanston since 1957. Your vision is an exciting one and Reba Place might be a hepful ally.
Ric
Thank so much, Ric, that is a great idea. I will look into their community.
I am so excited by your vision and all of the input you’ve received. Let’s talk soon.