Do-It-Yourself: The Stony Road to Cohousing in Sweden

In Sweden, more and more households are forming groups in order to create their own housing together. They look for a new way of living where they can take responsibility for their own situation in cooperation with their neighbours, based on mutual support, self-governance and active participation. The process of planning and designing together is unfamiliar, both for start-up groups and for property owners, developers, builders, consultants and municipalities. Tools and techniques for group-initiated projects are lacking. Knowledge about how to design common spaces is scarce. Over the long history of cohousing developments in Sweden, associations and institutes have emerged to advocate for and support the formation of cohousing groups. Numerous research projects have also been funded, although sporadically. These have collectively produced a variety of informative publications and provided encouragement and support. Despite this, the road to realizing cohousing in Sweden remains less than smooth. This article draws on the authors' decades of experience in the sector to distinguish the distinct phases of cohousing in Sweden, the differences between which are often overlooked, and asks why the road to realization remains rocky. Lessons from these past experiences can inform future cohousing projects both in Sweden and abroad.