- Charles Durrett
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Charles Durrett 
Born United States Nationality American Awards American Institute of Architects awards, World Habitat Award Work Buildings Muir Commons, East Lake Commons Conservation Community Charles Durrett is an American architect and author based in Nevada City, California. With his wife, Kathryn McCamant, he is credited with coining the English term cohousing and introducing the cohousing model for use in North America.[1] (Cohousing is a type of intentional community composed of small private homes with full kitchens, supplemented by extensive common facilities. A cohousing community is planned, owned and managed by the residents, groups of people who want more interaction with their neighbours.) In recent years he has focused on cohousing for older persons.
With his wife, he designed Muir Commons, the first cohousing community in North America, and has designed or consulted on the design of over 50 cohousing communities in North America. He has also consulted on many other cohousing projects around the world.[2]
He is a major proponent of senior cohousing, also known as elder cohousing, which are residential communities specifically designed for seniors. There are at least three senior cohousing communities in the U.S., one each in California, Colorado, and Virginia. More are in planning, according to Durrett.[3][4] According to an American Association of Retired Persons representative, senior cohousing is "very interesting niche housing" that is needed as an option.[5]
Durrett is author of The Senior Cohousing Handbook: A Community Approach to Independent Living (2009, 2nd edition), and with Kathryn McCamant, is co-author of Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves (1988).
He is recipient or co-recipient of numerous awards from the American Institute of Architects and others for various completed projects. This includes a United Nation's World Habitat Award in 2001 for the East Lake Commons Conservation Community project in Atlanta, Georgia.[2][6] A more recent award was the Vision 2020 Award of the Sierra Business Council.[7]
Durrett has an architecture degree in 1982 from the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, of Cal Poly Pomona.[8]
In August through October, 2009, Durrett is promoting senior cohousing through a book signing tour in 10 western U.S. cities.[9]
References
- ^ Credited in the Oxford English Dictionary, according to "About the author" info in The Senior Cohousing Handbook
- ^ a b "The Senior Cohousing Handbook: A Community Approach to Independent Living". 2nd edition (New Society Publishers). 2009.
- ^ Adrian Sainz (Feb 12, 2009). "Co-housing 'hoods offer sense of belonging". The Associated Press (Toronto Star). http://www.thestar.com/article/583607.
- ^ Raines Cohen (2008). "Senior Cohousing: The First Three Years: An interview with Charles Durrett". Itineraries. http://www.secondjourney.org/newsltr/08_Fall/Durrett_08Fall.htm.
- ^ Haya El Nasser (May 4, 2009). "Seniors at home in co-housing". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2009-05-03-co-housing_N.htm.
- ^ "Awards". CohousingCo.Com. http://www.cohousingco.com/awards.cfm.
- ^ YubaNet (2007-10-20). "Kathryn McCamant and Charles Durrett of Nevada City's CoHousing Partners Honored with Sierra Business Council's 2007 Vision 2020 Awards". http://yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_68417.shtml.
- ^ "Connections: Cal Poly Pomona magazine". Caly Poly Pomona. Fall 2007. http://www.caed.calpoly.edu/news-events/documents/news0708-documents/ConnectionsOnlineMagazineHiRes.pdf.
- ^ Senior Cohousing book signing tour information
External links
Categories:- Living people
- American architects
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