THIS IS COHOUSING:
The Cohousing Podcast
Hosted by architect, author, & cohousing pioneer Charles Durrett, AIA
For nearly 40 years, Charles has been exploring how combining design and community can help us live more sustainably, affordably, and connected to one another.
On this podcast, we explore the simple fact that better neighborhoods create better lives, a better future, a more viable society, and ultimately a healthier planet. Looking at cohousing from many angles — from the big ideas behind community living to the practical details of how these neighborhoods actually come together. Charles will be joined by guests from across the cohousing world: residents, organizers, architects, developers, and others helping shape community-oriented housing today. Join us as we dive into the history of cohousing and the legacy of village living, and what we can learn from those traditions as we design places for the future.
If you’re curious about cohousing, affordable housing, sustainability practices, the deeper roots, and history of high-functioning neighborhoods, we hope you’ll subscribe!
Listen to the trailer
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Episodes:
Episode 04 | From Asphalt to Village: Reimagining the Modern Campus
What if campuses weren’t just places people pass through, but places they truly belong? What if housing, social life, and daily needs were woven together into a walkable, intergenerational fabric?
Charles Durrett and guest Gary Morrison, draw from real projects and decades of experience in cohousing and community design, this conversation dives into how underutilized land—like parking lots and peripheral campus edges—can be transformed into thriving neighborhoods. We discuss the power of design to foster connection, the role of shared spaces in everyday life, and why the future of housing may look a lot more like a village than a development.
Episode 03 | From Home Builder to Community Maker
In this episode of the cohousing podcast, Charles Durrett sits down with Alan Carpenter, co-creator and co-director of the Canadian Cohousing Network. Together they explore the evolution and impact of cohousing in Canada and beyond.
Alan shares his personal journey from building single-family homes to dedicating his life to creating intentional communities—sparked by a desire for deeper connection and a more meaningful way of living. Together, they discuss the origins and growth of the Canadian Cohousing Network, the success of communities like Windsong Cohousing, and what makes these neighborhoods thrive.
Episode 02 | Building Belonging with Pat Darlington
In this episode of This is Cohousing, we talk with Patricia Darlington, one of the founders of Oakcreek Community in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Pat shares the personal story that first led her to discover cohousing and how that discovery turned into a real neighborhood built by ordinary people with a shared vision.
If you’ve ever wondered how cohousing communities get started or why more people are seeking alternatives to living alone—this conversation offers an inside look at the process and the philosophy behind it.
Episode 01 | Social Architecture of Affordable Housing
In this episode of the podcast, Charles Durrett sits down with architect, researcher, and community development expert Nazin Bagherynejad to explore how housing design can dramatically influence social well-being—especially in affordable senior housing.
The conversation expands beyond architecture to policy, exploring how interdisciplinary thinking, community participation, and better design practices could reshape the future of affordable housing for older adults.