Cohousing for Women Baby Boomers: Meaning and Belonging as Design Criteria

Housing is important to Canadian women as they generally have lower incomes than men, they live longer, and are more likely to live alone. With a mix of private and shared spaces, cohousing is an option worth exploring as an option for women baby boomers as residents share resources and support. The aim of this study was to discover how common areas in cohousing contribute to a sense of belonging for women baby boomers in cohousing. This exploratory research was based on an interdisciplinary review of literature in design and architecture and qualitative data collection. Findings suggest that for women baby boomers in cohousing the opportunity for sense of belonging is created through the coalescence of many factors, including common space, interactions, meaning and time. The findings will be of interest to designers and architects interested in cohousing as a housing option for some women baby boomers.