Kapitbahayan Housing Cooperative
Kapitbahayan (a Filipino word meaning neighbourhood) is a housing cooperative who have been serving their community in Western Sydney since 1995 by managing an alternative, community-driven model of housing design. Kapitbahayan Housing Cooperative and Common Equity NSW engaged Hugo Moline to design new co-operative housing in Canley Vale and to work in close collaboration with the co-op members.
The members of the co-operative are mostly first and second generation migrants. The spatial, social and political form of this housing model is based on the tactics of sharing and conviviality that these communities have brought to Australia, creating an alternative to land speculation, urban sprawl and architectures of obesity.
Where two suburban houses would normally occupy half the block each, these tactics of sharing allow the six resident families to access the whole site: from the private courtyards, 'welcome' patios, common gardens, events-space and office.
Architect. Hugo Moline.