Digital technologies change our ways of working and everyday lives in ways that are both profound and mundane. As our lives become increasingly connected, they also become more fluid. The boundaries between work and home are organized less around linear careers and more around fluid constellations and new opportunities. How might we develop innovative co-living and co-working spaces drawing on these trends?

Together with the Danish Ministry of Housing, Urban and Rural Affairs and LB Analyse we engaged in the project Deleby, exploring how new community-based ways of living can be a driver for development in smaller Danish cities. Through a combination of analysis of existing community-based housing projects and development of concepts and scenarios, we explored value- and user-driven approaches to community and rural development. A result of the project is the publication "Deleby – værktøjer til fællesskabsorienteret byudvikling", which provides an overview of various approaches to community-oriented types of housing in small towns and rural areas. The publication focuses on selected communities' social, practical, organizational and architectural character and presents tools and scenarios for planners, practitioners and municipalities. 

Deleby provides an overview of various approaches to community-oriented housing that may positively impact local communities, local institutions, associations and businesses.

– Ministry of Immigration, Integration and Housing

Community-oriented housing as a driver for development

The analysis provides an overview of various approaches to community-oriented housing. The report presents three examples of how municipalities can promote community-oriented housing by working with existing buildings. The examples are based on actual locations in three cities, Stubbekøbing, Nørre Snede and Veddinge, each with a different approach to attracting and retaining citizens through community-oriented housing forms. A central task relates to exploring the potentials in thinking in more community-oriented solutions as an alternative to more standard models for urban development. In a municipal development process, it is essential to map exactly where it is best to focus efforts in order to attract new (or retain current) residents. This might be the town's local quality (Stubbekøbing), the housing site’s location and character (Nørre Snede), or the natural surroundings (Veddinge). In all cases it is relevant to understand and communicate the physical qualities and potentials of the regional context and the cultural and social resources.

Lyshøj co-living

The scenario in Veddinge explores different options for establishing a co-living space in a former school building in a small village. It aims to attract potential newcomers to the municipality by using the existing housing stock placed in Odsherred's attractive scenery. The scenario is developed in collaboration with Odsherred Municipality.

Nama City Gardens

The scenario in Nørre Snede explores possibilities for building a shared housing community on a factory plot in the centre of the city. It aims to maintain city residents and attract new ones - and revitalise the city centre. The scenario is developed in collaboration with Nørre Snede Byinvest, Nørre Snede Municipality and the housing association Domea. 

Stubbekøbing community-building

The scenario in Stubbekøbing illustrates potentials of working holistically with a small city centre focusing on community-building. By combining several different approaches and organizational forms, the scenario emphasizes a more community-oriented utilisation of urban spaces and qualities. The scenario in Stubbekøbing was developed in collaboration with the Municipality of Guldborgsund.

Tools for planners and practitioners

Below you can browse the publication. It is structured into four themes that focus on how to understand and develop communities based on qualitative analyses of the local area’s qualities, the nature of the location and architecture, the residents’ interests and values and organization. Each theme contains key insights and is expressed in a series of general and specific recommendations to municipalities, communities and planners.

Digital technologies change our working and everyday lives in ways that are both profound and mundane. As our lives become increasingly connected they also become more fluid. the boundaries between work and home and our working lives are ordered less around linear careers and more around fluid constellations and new opportunities. How might we develop innovative co-living and co-working spaces drawing on these trends?

Together with the Danish Ministry of Housing, Urban and Rural Affairs and LB Analyse we engaged in the project Deleby, exploring how new community-based ways of living can be a driver for development in smaller Danish cities. Through a combination of analysis of existing community-based housing projects and development of concepts and scenarios, we explored value- and user-driven approaches to community and rural development. A result of the project is the publication "Deleby – værktøjer til fællesskabsorienteret byudvikling", which provides an overview of various approaches to community-oriented types of housing in small towns and rural areas. The publication focuses on selected communities' social, practical, organizational and architectural character and presents tools and scenarios for planners, practitioners and municipalities. 

Deleby provides an overview of various approaches to community-oriented housing that may positively impact local communities, local institutions, associations and businesses.

– Ministry of Immigration, Integration and Housing

Community-oriented housing as a driver for development

The analysis provides an overview of various approaches to community-oriented housing. The report presents three examples of how municipalities can promote community-oriented housing by working with existing buildings. The examples are based on actual locations in three cities, Stubbekøbing, Nørre Snede and Veddinge, each with a different approach to attracting and retaining citizens through community-oriented housing forms. A central task relates to exploring the potentials in thinking in more community-oriented solutions as an alternative to more standard models for urban development. In a municipal development process, it is essential to map exactly where it is best to focus efforts in order to attract new (or retain current) residents. This might be the town's local quality (Stubbekøbing), the housing site’s location and character (Nørre Snede), or the natural surroundings (Veddinge). In all cases it is relevant to understand and communicate the physical qualities and potentials of the regional context and the cultural and social resources.

Lyshøj co-living

The scenario in Veddinge explores different options for establishing a co-living space in a former school building in a small village. It aims to attract potential newcomers to the municipality by using the existing housing stock placed in Odsherred's attractive scenery. The scenario is developed in collaboration with Odsherred Municipality.

Nama City Gardens

The scenario in Nørre Snede explores possibilities for building a shared housing community on a factory plot in the centre of the city. It aims to maintain city residents and attract new ones - and revitalise the city centre. The scenario is developed in collaboration with Nørre Snede Byinvest, Nørre Snede Municipality and the housing association Domea. 

Stubbekøbing community-building

The scenario in Stubbekøbing illustrates potentials of working holistically with a small city centre focusing on community-building. By combining several different approaches and organizational forms, the scenario emphasizes a more community-oriented utilisation of urban spaces and qualities. The scenario in Stubbekøbing was developed in collaboration with the Municipality of Guldborgsund.

Tools for planners and practitioners

Below you can browse the publication. It is structured into four themes that focus on how to understand and develop communities based on qualitative analyses of the local area’s qualities, the nature of the location and architecture, the residents’ interests and values and organization. Each theme contains key insights and is expressed in a series of general and specific recommendations to municipalities, communities and planners.