Description
What is Cohousing, why it is meaningful, and how do you go about creating your own community? This 2-day intensive will use discussion, presentation, participatory activities, and reflection. It will give you the foundational knowledge of cohousing design, development, and living to be ready to take full advantage of the national conference, and get you on your way to transforming your ideas and dreams into reality.
Speakers: Erik Bonnett & Mathilde Berthe
Erik Bonnett is a registered architect with deep expertise in sustainability and participatory design processes. His experience includes facilitating integrated design of groundbreaking LEED and net zero carbon projects while at Rocky Mountain Institute. His work focuses on integrating the economic, environmental, and social components of sustainability with a focus on equity and empowerment. Erik taught sustainability from an interdisciplinary perspective at Montana State University and his published research includes cost optimization of energy efficiency. He has designed cohousing communities across the United States and cofounded Bozeman Cohousing. He is especially passionate about collaborating with clients who possess a strong mission, be they intentional communities, individuals, or NGOs.
Mathilde Berthe is an architectural designer and the co-founder of Studio Co+hab. She moved to the USA from France to focus her career on Cohousing and has worked with McCamant and Durrett Architects, who introduced the concept of Cohousing in America. She also helped develop Habitat & Partage, a cooperative that aims to facilitate the emergence of Cohousing projects in France. Between France and the USA, she has visited and contributed to many communities, exploring the relationship between design and the social structure of communities. Receiving her Living Future Accreditation has strengthened her commitment to bring people together to build a more “socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative” future.