Mark Shieh understands the power of transformative spaces — he started his career working as an Imagineer for the Walt Disney Company, designing theme parks. “I still have a little of that pixie dust in me,” he says, recalling how transfixed he was by the magic of Disney’s parks and how they felt like the …
We are thrilled that our future home, TOMO House, was discussed during a recent piece on CBC’s “Spark”, a show that explores technology innovation and design in our daily lives. The host, Nora Young, was leading a discussion of what “home” will look like in 50 years alongside Sonia Solicari from the UK’s Museum of …
One of the great things about cohousing is that you get to know your neighbours before you move in. It takes time to build a cohousing project. But during that period, you’re forging friendships with the people you’ll be living with later. Here are just a few things our community members share. Sharing skills When …
For Tara Gallen, it started with a cargo bike. Ms. Gallen was looking through a Facebook page for families who bike and saw mention of a co-housing style project that was cargo-bike friendly. Because cargo bikes are wide and awkward, they don’t fit into the average bike storage room. Tomo House, on Vancouver’s Main Street, …
“Once you get them built [it’s great]. It’s getting them built that’s a bitch. It’s a good way to live.” Pushing forward an innovative housing project in a pricey market such as Vancouver takes a level of commitment few have the capacity to maintain over the longterm. But Kathy Sayers is among those who’ve persevered …
Read more Vancouver’s first ‘cohousing lite’ housing project close to breaking ground
Most multi-family housing projects have amenity rooms, but with the cost of land rising and new units getting smaller, many of these common areas are being downsized. Often they are only 450 square feet. “You put in a few exercise bikes and you’re done,” said Vancouver architect Marianne Amodio. “They are getting smaller and smaller.” …
Read more Architects and planners aim to create family-friendly apartment housing in the city
Multi-family housing collaboration Can we design multi-family housing to nurture strong, supportive social relationships? Hundreds of hours of research led us to believe the answer is Yes. Tomo House brings this idea to life. Tomo House has brought Happy City into a unique collaboration with an enlightened developer (Take Root), a creative design team (Lanefab …
A minor residential project approved by Vancouver City Council on Tuesday evening is drawing attention for its unique co-housing model. ‘Tomo House’, designed by Marianne Amodio Architecture Studio, is located at a 6,700-sq-ft lot at 5809-5811 Main Street – just one block south of 41st Avenue. It is a partnership between Tomo Spaces Inc., the …
Read more Co-housing project on Main Street in Vancouver approved with affordable units
The 2018 Global Happiness Policy Report is out. This time, the report contains practical solutions for governments and cities interested in boosting wellbeing. We were thrilled to be asked to contribute to this report as part of the sub-council on Happy Cities. We are proud to say that we were able to infuse the report …
James Chamberlain grew up in a rural area outside Abbotsford, while his husband, Jean-Marie Russell, was raised in a small town in northern Quebec. They’ve lived in Vancouver for decades — for the past 20 years in a strata property they own in a three-unit complex near Vancouver General Hospital. But the neighbourhood has changed …
Read more ‘Cohousing lite’ enters the Vancouver housing conversation