Co-housing and Efficient Land Use: Eliminating Land Scarcity in the Randstad Region

Although geographically, the Netherlands cannot compete with most nations on the European continent, population-wise, it is far ahead of any of its counterparts. With 7 million people living within its agglomeration of four cities, Amsterdam, the Hague, Rotterdam, and Utrecht and a small land base, much of which has been created from human ingenuity, a shortage of housing can be expected.

Fortunately, the Dutch are also known for 'progressive' built environment practices. One of these is cohousing, a citizen initiative form of housing based on the compact city concept. From an architectural/ spatial point of view, co-housing is unique as space within its development is allocated in novel ways.  Boundaries of private and public space are blurred. Fewer amenities are private, and more are turned into 'commons' which can be co-developed and used by many within the community at once. Perhaps this model of development can be examined in terms of its potential to alleviate housing land scarcity in a region as densely populated as the Randstad. 

The following cohousing design principles could be investigated further to evaluate the contribution of such building practices on land usage: 

1. Car Reduction: Many cohousing communities have done away with automobile infrastructure, as it contradicts the 'sharing' or 'communal' lifestyle community members seek to promote. Cohousing communities pursuing pro-environmental behavior amongst their residents likely discourage car use via design strategies for other reasons. Cars take up an inordinate amount of space in the landscape, such as for parking spaces in the form of lots and garages and road infrastructure.

2. Compact development, as indicated by floor space ratio and ground space ratio, also characterizes  the built environment of many cohousing projects. By improving the efficiency of each building, more land is available for additional buildings in case of shortage. This is a principle which has the potential to be adopted for traditional development practice to manage the residential land scarcity issue.

3. Multi-use of space is a common concept in co-housing, in which common rooms, open spaces, and other facilities are shared. Therefore, a smaller percentage is private and a larger percentage is shared. This alternative configuration of living space means that more people can fit into a building than before. Their basic living needs, such as a place for cooking or other daily activities can be shared with others living next door and nearby.

Although these three design principles could potentially alleviate land scarcity, the empirical evidence would have to be sought through further research. In addition, cohousing design principles demand lifestyle change which is a social and psychological issue as much as a spatial one.