Co-housing for the Advanced - The 50+ Generation
Moderation and sociological guidance of the pilot project Steinbruchstraße 8, Vienna 16.

The model project "Co-housing for the Advanced," which focuses on the particular housing needs of the 'over-fifty generation', will produce an exemplary, forward-looking residential living module, thereby showing the diversity of housing possibilities for the elderly. The goal of the moderated and sociologically guided project is the development of alternative forms of housing for people who are in their third stage of life and want to live independently in an apartment, but in the company of a residential community.

The pilot project is designed for retired people and/or people in a post-family stage of life (empty nesters) who actively desire to live in a "Residential Community 50+," which is characterized by living in separate, barrier free apartments coupled with a binding engagement for the residential community. The goal is an exemplary residential concept for the "advanced" who want to organize themselves as a community based on the collectively developed principles. The term "advanced" does not only refer to age. It refers particularly to the residential living desires and abilities required for collective living (Co-Housing).

The needs of the specific target groups will be met and new solutions developed, and be implemented in exemplary fashion. The idea is oriented towards the concept of residential communities as self-selecting neighborhoods, similar to other residential community projects found in Vienna and internationally.

The pilot study is legally represented as a so-called "Cooperative Project" composed of the group interested and a non-profit residential building developer, whereby the latter:

• Establishes or creates a residential community
• Participates the group interested in the planning of the residential community on an already acquired property
• Participates the group interested in a specially developed "participation statute" related to the future administration, which also allows for certain usage rights (garden, community rooms) and
• grants the group interested a certain right to first recommendation in the occupancy of apartments as they become free.

The project "Co-housing for the Advanced - The 50+ Generation" is a long-term, ongoing undertaking of "Neue Heimat" for the development of a selection of apartments tailored to the target group. The project began with a pilot project at Steinbruchstraße 8 in Vienna's 16th district. A courtyard-house ("Hofhaus") with 13 apartments and a floor community ("Etagen-Gemeinschaft") with 7 apartments, as well as the corresponding common rooms and terraces, are being planned.

The exemplary findings and related experiences will allow for the refinement and optimization of additional projects.

Wohnbund:consult, a committed office with many years of experience in the area of "Co-Housing" projects, will work closely with the housing developer to carry out the formulation of the basic concept through the utilization of expert workshops, the sociological guidance, and the moderation of the community building process.

This participative development process will be co-financed by the housing developer "Neue Heimat", the Vienna Housing Research (Wiener Wohnbauforschung), and (in the appropriate phase) also the co-housing group itself.