Passage way to
common house
Our Community
Pinakarri has a purpose built common house which incorporates a community kitchen, dining room, and bathroom on the ground floor, with a lounge, meeting room, guestroom and office on the first floor. This is the first housing co-operative administered by Homeswest which has incorporated a common house. Most people are linked through the Internet and residents are encouraged to use the common house computer. Discussing issues via email cuts meeting times.
The common house is used for community meals three times a week, "open house" community dinners once a month, fortnightly Pinakarri business meetings and film nights. The peak body for housing co-operatives the Federation of Housing Collectives (FOHCOL) have an office in the common house and hold meetings once a fortnight. This facilitates quick dissemination of information relevant to Pinakarri.
Pinakarri is the first community housing project in Australia, which incorporates equity and non-equity housing. The network of people formed in 1991 expressed their intention to stay together as part of a community and four privately owned homes were an integral part of the project. While there are other rental housing co-operatives in Western Australia, this is the first built on the principles of cohousing. This model of community living was developed in Denmark (Europe) in the 1960's and has provided inspiration for the group to focus on both shared and individual facilities.
Another aspect of community living is the interaction Pinakarri has with the local community. It has hosted a diverse number of events in Hamilton Hill commencing with an Open Day for the neighbours, a Carols by Candlelight picnic, a safer Hamilton Hill forum, and landscaping the verges to accommodate seating and pathways for neighbourhood interaction. Monthly 'open house' dinners offer visitors a taste of community life and a chance to see the houses and permaculture garden.
Social Justice...
Pinakarri has addressed the needs of community members by providing a lifestyle, which gives security, companionship and provides the environment for a sustainable community. One of the parents has established a small, family day care centre at Pinakarri. Some of the clients are sole parents in the community who take advantage of the child care service while they go out to work.
"Pinakarris" or 'heart circles' are held on a monthly basis which gives community residents an opportunity to share their concerns, ideas and gain support.
- The adaptability of the project to other community housing organisations
Passive solar design and energy efficiency can easily be adapted to a number of community housing projects and applied to low cost housing. The houses have been built within the Ministry of Housing guidelines which can easily be adopted to other housing projects/communities.
Pinakarri through achieving an energy efficient lifestyle sets a benchmark for other communities to follow. Judicious use of materials and simplicity of design can easily achieve passive solar design. Careful landscaping by using deciduous trees on the north facing walls allows maximum sunlight in winter and minimum sunlight in summer.
The common house is a good example of maximizing interaction between residents and provides a focus for the community.
Photo of common house
All residents noticed immediate benefits when they moved into their new houses in June 1999. During winter there is a clear reduction of electricity and gas consumption. Community member Robyn Williams noticed the change during her first week after moving in to Pinakarri, thinking that there had been a sudden change in the weather, it had got much warmer. She then realised how much of a difference passive solar design made. There was no need to use any artificial heating or wear layers of clothing to keep warm in the winter months.
Another Pinakarri resident expressed one of the benefits of living as a community:
"She said that living in community was like being part of an extended family. Conflict was resolved more easily and quickly. Through managing the community themselves, this empowered members to resolve problems themselves."
Another benefit to residents in the sharing of resources. Gardening and maintenance tools are kept in a shed at the common house, the computer and all Pinakarri residents use printer in the common house office. A washing machine and dryer are set up in the common house in addition to a community kitchen for meals three times per week.
Pinakarri has been visited by a number of students studying town planning and architecture. Dr Martin Anda, head of the Technology Environmental Centre at the School of Environmental Sciences at Murdoch University regularly brings students to visit Pinakarri. Pinakarri residents actively encourage participation from the local community by holding monthly "open house" dinners which are well attended.
Many of the local children come and play at Pinakarri.
Friends of Pinakarri residents and individuals interested in community living are purchasing properties in the immediate area so that they can be associated with the Pinakarri community.
Through the initiative of the Safer Hamilton Hill Forum, safety issues are being addressed "local solutions to local problems" The forum calls for participation from local residents, Neighbourhood Watch, Police, Cockburn Council and key community services representatives to develop effective and creative strategies to reduce crime in Hamilton Hill.
Pinakarri is now a focal point in the local neighbourhood and sets an example by embracing community living.
