Together by Design The Art and Architecture of Communal Living

With a growing population comes a growing need for innovative, sustainable housing. Together by Design explores the architectural and social benefits of communal living and shared spaces.

Whether it's families in a multigenerational home, millennials sharing rent, or older singles seeking companionship, cohousing and other types of intentional communities offer economic, social, and environmental advantages for all demographics. Collective housing alternatives originated in Denmark in the 1960s and gained popularity in the United States in the 1990s, laying the groundwork for today's inventive shared living alternatives.

Featuring color photography, renderings, and site and floor plans, this survey of more than fifteen contemporary projects explores communal living through architecture, public policy, design, lifestyle, culture, and environmental sustainability.

William Richards holds a Ph.D. in art and architectural history from the University of Virginia. He is the author of Bamboo Contemporary (PAP, 2021) and Revolt and Reform in Architecture's Academy (Routledge, 2016), as well numerous journal and magazine articles. He is based in Washington, DC.