A Study on the Physical Feature of Cohousing Projects in Denmark and Sweden

Korea has experienced serious changes during the last several decades of industrialization. Limited land resources and excessive rural-to-urban migration inevitably resulted high-rise apartment housing development. However, apartment housing couldn't follow up social change and residents' needs. Turning into the 21st century, there are great demands for the diversification of housing style and amenity of housing, which include enhancing community lift through proper collective environment. To solve these problems, cohousing has been introduced in Scandinavian countries. A primary goal of cohousing is the desire of residents to live in a socially supportive setting. People can do housework together and also can promote active mutual relationship among residents in the community. Physical feature of cohousing, in combination with social organization factors, may serve to enhance or support the sense of community sought by residents. In this point of view, the purpose of this study is to find out the physical feature of cohousing in Denmark and Sweden. First, it is to figure out the background and development of cohousing in Denmark and Sweden. Then, by making clear physical features between similarity and difference of two countries of cohousing through case study; such as housing type, the circulation patterns, common facilities and etc. This paper could suggest a possibility of application of cohousing in Korea to present how they encourage emphasize design aspects that increase the possibilities for social contacts and the sense of community. Also, it goes on to suggest that the educational program and the support from the government.

덴마크와 스웨덴 코하우징의 물리적 특성에 대한 연구