Joelho - Journal of Architectural Culture

Wasatch Commons: A Collective Question

Steven Chodoriwsky

Wasatch Commons: A Collective Question

Joelho 17 Call For Abstracts

July 28, 2025

This paper proposal focuses on Wasatch Commons Co-Housing Community, a 25-unit experimental residential initiative constructed in 1999 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Nestled within a large urban agricultural plot that is surrounded by suburban development, it features collectively maintained spaces and resources, diverse living arrangements, and—as with any fiercely held space—a negotiation of architecture and behavior, pragmatics and aspirations.

The angle of the text positions the author as a current inhabitant and community member, as design educator and archival researcher. Despite the uniqueness of the co-housing model and the contextual uniqueness of its built form (it is the only one in the State of Utah and one of a handful in the Western United States) Wasatch Commons remains largely unknown in both design and housing circles locally. In the midst of Salt Lake City’s recent economic growth—and subsequent crises in demands for both affordable and community-focused housing—Wasatch Commons presents an eccentric model of alternative collectivity within, and of refuge from, Utah’s dominant political and sociocultural forces: a position it has held since its development and inauguration a quarter century ago. The paper would also like to shed some light on its peculiar origins, in which original investors and initiators were faculty members of University of Utah’s legendary orthodox Marxist economics program—suggesting that this housing experiment’s legacy constitutes a form of collective praxis.

Meanwhile, the text would reckon with how the community’s architectural form—both based on co-housing traditions and spatializations from Denmark and Sweden—has undergone extensive individuations and micro-landscapes due to the intergenerational diversity of its residents, as well as how its surrounding landscape, held in common, has become an evolving site of negotiation through committee work, policies of consensus, and shifts in values.

In this vein the research provides both analysis and a “critical spatial portraiture” of Wasatch Commons’ built environment and the bodies—human and nonhuman—that activate and steward it, reading it alongside (among others) Jean-Luc Nancy’s theory of the “inoperative community” [1] and, more recently, performance theorist Ethan Philbrick’s notion of “collective ambivalence.” [2] A description of, and argument for the value of, Wasatch Commons’s social patina—a mixture of collective action and inaction of its maintenance over time—will be central to the text, bookending this in architectural discourse with Kathyrn McCamant’s Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves [3] (with a piquant introduction by Charles Moore) and Atelier Bow-Wow’s concept of “behaviorology” [4] in the production of lively collective space.

Images for the text would include archival images, architectural plans, and photographs of the current context.

Footnotes

[1] Jean-Luc Nancy, The Inoperative Community (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1991)

[2] Ethan Philbrick, Group Works: Art, Politics, and Collective Ambivalence (New York: Fordham University Press, 2023)

[3] Kathyrn McCamant, Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves (Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 1994).

[4] Atelier Bow-Wow, The Architectures of Atelier Bow-Wow: Behaviorology (New York: Rizzoli, 2010).

(Pre)Visions of Generative Artificial Intelligence: a lexical analysis of narratives on rural cohabitation in the “alto sertão” of Paraíba, Brazil

FRANCISCO THIAGO MOREIRA CAVALCANTI THIAGO CAVALCANTI

This article investigates the role of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) as an intermediary in architectural conception, based on the analysis of descriptive narratives about cooperative housing projects located in the Brazilian backlands (alto sertão), a semi-arid region with distinct sociocultural dynamics. The study addresses limitations and biases inherent in the reproduction of regional stereotypes by AI models, emphasizing the importance of critical reflection in the face of the increasing adoption of such technologies in the fields of architecture and urbanism. The objective was to experimentally explore the possibilities of architectural imagination mediated by GenAI. Identical descriptive prompts were submitted to five free text-based platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and DeepSeek), using anonymous and non-customized accounts to preserve impartiality and expose model limitations. Identical descriptive prompts were submitted to five textual platforms, each of which was asked to produce a narrative in Brazilian Portuguese (approximately 2,000 words) depicting a cooperative housing project grounded in the physical, social, and cultural dimensions of the alto sertão. The results generated varied significantly in length, ranging from 802 to 1,924 words, which in turn influenced differences in lexical density and narrative construction. Quantitative and qualitative analysis using Voyant Tools revealed both convergences and contrasts between platforms in their representations of collective life, shared spaces, and local construction techniques. The most frequent terms were related to materiality — such as “earth” (terra), “clay” (barro), and “roof tiles” (telhas) — spatial organization — such as “courtyard” (pátio), “shed” (galpão), and “vegetable garden” (horta) — and sociocultural values — such as “community” (comunidade), “sharing” (partilha), and “autonomy” (autonomia). While the term “housing complex” (conjunto) was the most frequent in the corpus, “autonomy” (autonomia) was scarcely present, revealing asymmetries that reflect both semantic limitations and inherited social imaginaries reproduced by GenAI tools, which tend to downplay collective agency and self-management. A significant bias was observed in the high frequency of the word “hope” (Esperança), resulting from one platform’s automated naming of the housing project, reinforcing stereotypical associations of the sertão with dependency or deprivation. The automated analysis proved effective in challenging these narratives and fostering a critical reading of generative technologies as agents in the projection of inhabited space. The study reinforces the importance of incorporating complementary approaches, especially image-based analysis, for a broader evaluation of architectural representations. It contributes to the interdisciplinary debate among architecture, urbanism, and artificial intelligence, highlighting technological biases in specific cultural contexts and their implications for the planning and critical representation of cooperative housing in marginalized sociocultural territories. The methodological limitation of using free platform versions is acknowledged, as well as the opportunity for future research based on multimodal analysis and expanded corpora.

Housing and Knowledge-Based Urban Development:

Leticia Teixeira Mendes

Cities, in recent decades, have experienced relevant economic, social and environmental transformations that have impacted, not only their spatial configuration, but also the dynamics of human activity in city space, highlighting: climate change, the rise of network society, the global division of labor forces and rapid urban growth (Yigitcanlar, 2010). In the current context of global knowledge and innovation economy, society is no longer based on its agricultural or industrial production capacity, but is established by its ability to produce knowledge, information, research and innovation.

The change of information society to knowledge is characterized by more complex challenges, valuing not only industrial and scientific productive activity but, above all, incorporating human, cultural, social, and political values (Mansell, 2015). Consequently, they require strategies — at various levels and scales of development —for the transformation of urban space, such as the initiative known as Knowledge-Based Urban Development (KBUD). In this context, KBUD can be defined as a policy focused on building urban territories conducive to fostering business and connecting different actors/players to promote innovation in more sustainable and responsible environments (Yigitcanlar et al., 2024).

This work aims to analyze the case study of Porto Digital (PD) - an innovation district located in the historic central area of the city of Recife, relating it to initiatives, projects and programs focused on housing production, as well as studying the dynamics and public policies to promote economic development and urban planning in this region.

Created in 2000, PD has established itself as one of Brazil's leading technology parks and innovation environments. Its relevance is further highlighted by the geographic and social context of its "doubly peripheral" implementation as a technological innovation hub located in the Brazilian Northeast — a territory characterized by significant social inequality — and by the exceptionality of not being located in Brazil's economic and technological center line (South and Southeast regions). Thus, the creation of PD constituted a "strategy for aligning scientific and technological, economic and business, public and private, and cultural and urban development interests and objectives" (Querette and Guimarães, 2025), as well as an initiative to promote the rehabilitation of the city's historic center, Bairro do Recife.

Given the current scenario of decline in cities, specifically central urban areas, this research aims to analyze the role of housing as a structuring element of urban space in the context of knowledge territories, investigating which strategies contribute to promoting typological diversity, urban sustainability, and inclusion of socially vulnerable groups. Thus, it will be structured in 3 stages: 1) bibliographic and documentary survey and literature review; [2] analysis of initiatives and public policies to promote housing in the central area of Recife; and [3] classification of cases considering 3 dimensions: building typology, multifunctionality and urban socioecology.

The research seeks to contribute to studies on morphology and urban planning in KBUD contexts, analyzing potential or limiting conditions for the promotion of housing diversity, considering social inclusion and urban sustainability, as well as its impact as a public policy for revitalization in central areas of Brazilian metropolises.

Co-Operative Modalities in Once-Industrial Detroit

Architecture continues to rely on only minor adjustments even as environmental and economic crises demand systemic change. This article investigates how cooperative housing, enabled by zoning reform and low-carbon timber construction, can serve as a tool for housing justice in Detroit. Focusing on clusters of parcels owned by the Detroit Land Bank Authority, it asks: How can strategic rezoning and design innovation challenge entrenched urban inequalities and automobile-dependent land use patterns? Through a combination of design research, policy reform, and material experimentation, this project proposes a new framework for equitable housing in post-industrial cities.

To pursue meaningful work in cities, we must confront the legal and spatial frameworks that enforce low-density, automobile-dependent development. In Detroit—whose urban form was shaped by and for the North American auto industry—this legacy has resulted in violent urban renewal, widespread property abandonment, and population shifts.1 These conditions have produced excess land and deep economic disparity which threaten the future of the city. Today, the largest landholder in Detroit is the municipally operated Detroit Land Bank Authority, which controls approximately 70,000 properties sold or auctioned off on the open market.2 Given that home ownership remains a primary source of wealth for Detroiters,3 advancing housing equity demands expanded access to affordable, community-controlled housing.

This article advocates for the rezoning of parcel clusters (four or more contiguous lots) to support cooperative housing at multiple scales, repositioning land use policy as a municipal strategy for advancing housing justice. Timber emerges as a compelling material choice in this context, valued for its low-carbon footprint, prefabrication potential, and familiarity within the construction industry. Although new timber products have gained visibility in market-rate development, their exclusivity limits their social impact. This project explores timber’s underutilized potential in cooperative housing contexts, especially as it relates to occupant wellness.
Through a synthesis of critical design practice, zoning analysis, and policy research, the article presents a citywide proposal for Detroit’s urban form. Visualizations (including models, mock-ups, diagrams, and material explorations) anchor the research in both speculative and practical design. By integrating land reform, cooperative housing typologies, and environmental stewardship, this article outlines a scalable strategy for equitable development in Detroit and other cities facing similar post-industrial conditions.

Bibliography:

1. Carpenter, Ph.D, Craig Wesley, Michigan State University, MSU Extension, “Redlining in Detroit.” (2022)

2. Silmi, Malak, and Aaron Mondry. “10 Things to Know about the Detroit Land Bank Authority.” Outlier Media, January 12, 2022. https://outliermedia.org/detroit-land-bank-authority-explainer/.

3. Whitaker Esq., David “Generational Wealth: Wealth in Detroit.” Legislative Policy Division Staff, City of Detroit (2023)

Beyond the built form

James Berghan

As housing systems around the world grapple with crises of affordability and isolation, collective housing models such as cohousing and papakāinga (an Indigenous housing model from Aotearoa New Zealand) offer compelling alternatives. While much attention has been paid to the physical design of these communities, this paper argues that their success hinges equally, if not more so, on what could be described as the social architecture: the relational, cultural, and procedural infrastructures that sustain communal life.

Drawing on comparative research from two case studies in Aotearoa New Zealand: Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood (a resident-led cohousing community) and Kāinga Tuatahi (an urban papakāinga led by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei). The paper explores how social architecture operates as a form of invisible infrastructure. It identifies three key dimensions: (1) binding mechanisms that align residents through whakapapa (genealogy, shared ancestry) or shared kaupapa (purpose, goals); (2) rituals and routines that embed social connection into daily life; and (3) governance and decision-making structures that enable collective agency and accountability.

In both communities, social architecture was not incidental but intentional. At Earthsong, a buddy system, shared meals, and consensus-based governance created a culture of participation and mutual care. At Kāinga Tuatahi, whakapapa, proximity to the marae (cultural meeting house), and cultural obligations to the wider iwi (tribe) fostered a deep sense of belonging and responsibility. These practices were not merely supportive of the built environment; they were constitutive of community itself.

This paper argues that social architecture must be recognised as a critical component of housing design and policy. Just as physical infrastructure requires maintenance and investment, so too does the social fabric of collective living. This includes resourcing for facilitation, conflict resolution, cultural practices, and participatory governance. Without such investment, even the most well-designed physical environments risk becoming socially brittle.

By foregrounding social architecture, this paper contributes a conceptual lens that complements existing literature on collaborative housing. It invites designers, policymakers, and researchers to move beyond spatial form and consider the relational infrastructures that make collective housing viable, resilient, and meaningful. In doing so, it also highlights the value of Indigenous knowledge systems, particularly Māori concepts of whanaungatanga (relationships and relationship building), manaakitanga (hospitality and an ethic of care), and collective obligation as rich sources of insight for reimagining housing futures globally.

Ultimately, this paper calls for a shift in how we understand housing: not as a static product, but as a living process that must be continually nurtured through both physical and social design.