Case study of Collective living in Japan

Japan's population as of February 2015, a total population of 126.97 million people，it become the first ten big country in the world's population. In the 20th century, due to Japan entered the industrialization society, reduced fertility, improve medical conditions; And Japan has always been to the immigration control is very strict, lead to Japan to become the world's one of the countries with high levels of population ageing , Japan is also one of the countries with the highest average life expectancy at the same time. Although the Japanese population has showed a trend of decline, but there are still very promote the idea of living collectively.

Kyodo no Mori (“Forest of Kyodo”)-

                                                                   Figure 1 - Kyodo no Mori (“Forest of Kyodo”)

      Located in the Setagawa district of Tokyo, Kyodo no Mori is a 12-unit, three story building located on a tiny, one fifth of an acre lot. The building features vine-covered balconies, solar-powered water pumping and solar heating, and a rooftop wetlands for graywater recycling.
On average, each unit is about 970 sq. ft. each. Most units are owned by residents, as opposed to rented. Shared space includes the outdoor space in the ground-floor courtyard, a second-floor terrace and a rooftop garden . This project, incidentally, was one of Japan’s first cooperative housing community.TOKYO.
“Then from around the beginning of the new century, realtors began offering space in unoccupied houses or refurbished company dormitories,” he continues. “One reason for the rapid increase is that people are getting married from a later age, or not marrying at all. After graduation from school, the time from which they start to make a family has been extended, and rather than spend a long period living alone, more young people are showing a preference to live with others.”The trend is borne out by figures from Hitsuji Fudosan, a realtor that carries the largest number of “share houses” on its site. From 25 in 2000, the number of listed houses rose to 982 in 2011.
    Experimentation is leading to new variations on the theme. In Shibuya, Tokyo, an artists’ colony called “Shibu House,” accommodates more than 20 individuals—about one third of who are female—in a 150 square meter 4LDK house. The mostly 20-ish residents have no private space at all and at night people just flop in the living room and “Some people don’t come home from work at night so there’s always enough room to sleep,” a 29-year-old resident relates. “Anyway the total cost for rent and utilities comes to about 800,000 yen per month, so split 20 ways, that’s only 40,000 yen per person. We’re planning to boost the number of residents to 32 from April, and that will bring the rent down to even less.”
Considering how expensive housing is in Japan, foreigners just off the boat tend to be surprised that there isn’t more communal living going on. 
The main appeal is economic, but the real draw is social, especially among women who don’t feel safe living by themselves in one-room apartments in the city. Share houses offer privacy with the option of interpersonal interaction. The model for this kind of living is Share Place Gotanno in Adachi Ward, Tokyo. Formerly a company dormitory (most share rooms are), the building has been converted by the Tokyo Electric-affiliated housing renovation company ReBita into 45 rooms centered around a living and dining area that is the equivalent in size to three households’ worth. Consequently, the kitchen has three large refrigerators. Each bedroom is the size of about seven tatami mats and includes an air conditioner, a bed, a desk, and a storage unit. The monthly rent is from ¥58,000 to ¥63,000, there’s a “management fee” of ¥13,500, and a ¥50,000 deposit (¥30,000 refundable) is required. There’s also a ¥36,000 “processing fee” and a one-time insurance fee of ¥8,000. Foreigners are welcome.
     In conclusion, the main reason of collective living is because of the population in Japan and they would like to save money. The people don't have ability to buy a house and they consider to living collectively with others to save more money. On the other hand , they are limited housing in Japan and some people especially young people are obliged to rent a house which is sharing a house with others then can cut down the rental. Besides, women who don’t feel safe living by themselves in one-room apartments in the city also choose collective living. Otherwise, In addition， any case Japanese landlords tend to frown on renting out properties to multiple persons if those persons are not married or otherwise related. But sometime the people live together and there have leadership roles may naturally exist in collective living. Although leadership roles may naturally exist in a co-housing community, no one person or persons have authority over others. Decisions are made by consensus.
     

bibliography
http://www.japantoday.com/category/kuchikomi/view/more-young-people-try-communal-living-in-share-houses
http://blog.japantimes.co.jp/yen-for-living/communal-living-isnt-just-for-foreigners-anymore/

problem of collective living

 

   Whats will going on when many people living in one space? The space must be crowded and slowly lead to limited of the space .The main problem of causing limited space must be the numbers of household exceed. When the number of people gather together , the furniture, ,household items, daily supplies and a lot of the fragmentary object will become a obstacle of a space. Besides, the size of the furniture is too large and unable to move because of the weight is too heavy.The limited space sometime was the psychological effect of the lighting and the painting of wall was too dark will make the whole space looks very narrow.Sometime the people don't like to share their things together and just buy same thing per each person, this will make a lot of thing cramming into a space.

  On the other hand, expense is also a problem that arise when live together.When we talking about money , it will be effects sensitive opinion between people. Collective living in a space can be sharing the space, food, stuff, housework even is money together. But sometimes it maybe overspend money . Who overused the electronic product and waste the water even waste foods?This answer can be everybody in the house.It means that perhaps it just a person uses too much of resources but everyone has to pay for it Nowasdays , peoples lack out of saving concept . Some people can just let the air conditioner turn on whole day long , they will not realized that will make the loss of electricity consumption . Without any rules, there have some solution save the much more conveniently. Firstly, they must be get into the habit of switch off the light before leaving the room. Besides,use the natural light during the day as far as possible. For instance, installing transparent windows or just open the window to allow the sunlight and fresh air come into room.This can be kills two birds with one stone which can save the light and decrease amount of the air conditioner usage.Use less as far as possible electronic products such as computers to save unnecessary cost .Choose some more power savings of electrical appliances . Adjusting the output of light which is sufficient to reduce power supply . Cutting off power supply of the TV and computer when not in use.Saving concept is the most important part to reduce the expense .This must be attach with cooperation of every one in the house.

Research of collective living space- bibliography

bibliography :

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2012/aug/17/housing-co-op-the-drive-living-collectively

This is a passage that talking about the collective living in Walthamstowand specify works to fix all of their problems .Besides, they also share their experience of living together with others.

http://psychcentral.com/lib/sharing-space-rooming-house-cooperative-or-collective/00012951

This website is describe some details about the collective living space.We comprehend about the problem very clearly on this website.



Magazine:

<CUBES August / September 2013>




<DCRS Decorations>

books:

<Living in a nutshell>

This book is suitable for the small space design.It was inspired me on how to DIY and recycle some useless thing such as tin , a table that will be discarded transform to different useful thing.This book was inspired me how to arrange and take full advantage of the space.




<Inspirational Homes>
All it really takes to create a stunning home is inspiration.Inspiration is a magical quality,a flash of insight that can come from anywhere. Simple, even unlikely objects like a translucent saree, a retro-look bathroom top or the impetus for a whole interior design theme or daring colour scheme.
This book was very inspired me to the design of our topic-collective living.Our main problem was the limited space as a lot of people living in a small space.Not all the homes featured in this book have been the work of design professionals.Creativity is not exclusive to interior designers. As the many exciting individual efforts here show, all our need is an unbridled imagination .

Empathising problem of collective living space

 

    What will happen when the peoples were came from different places at all levels, different races ,culture live together in the same environment? This is a challenge to them. The conflict is always arise in human relationship especially between people come from different culture and religion. The most closely related urban housing cooperatives. These models are often features simple living arrangements, often under one roof. This is possible, even more challenging to share a small building.

 Conflict is always arise between human relationship. Firstly, conflict cause of cultural and religion. For example , Malay people cannot eat pork , but some people they don't understand . They eat pork at home and cause the Malay housemate feel uncomfortable . Besides, the expense of house also bring conflict .They will share the electronic and water bill together evenly. Each people use the different electricity consumption .Some people maybe will not satisfied on it because they think this is very not fair and unbalance. They are need to use the toilet at the same time because of their working time crash each other , this will cause inconvenience and quarrel to fight to use the toilet. 

    In conclusion, this conflict will solved if they communication well each other and set the rule . Communication as "a body of people living in one place ,district ,or country" and the way that people interact to each other. People must tolerate to each other , this is the path to get along with each other.

Mind map

MIND MAP

On our first day, we were trying to do a mind map that can analysis easily.Because of we didn't think the collective living space is a problem.Thus, we tried to find out some problem that can caused by collective living.

Collective living space is defined as three or more unrelated people who comes from
different cultures, religions or countries choose to live together and it may occur some
problems.I am incharge the part of expense and limited space.

Conflict
• Improve communication
• Tolerate
• Try to understand each other
Hygiene
• Improvement on personal hygienic habit must be enhanced
• Keep the unit clean
• Allocating task for doing chores and setting up rules
Noise
• Set up the rules to control the volume and  contract to abide by "house rules" for
everyone's benefit
• Reduce noise at the source by using different types of absorptive material can be
used to control interior noise
Expenses
• Get into the habit of switch off the light before leaving the room
• Use the natural light during the day as far as possible. For instance, installing
transparent windows to allow the sunlight
• Use less as far as possible electronic products such as computers to save
unnecessary cost
• Choose some more power savings of electrical appliances
• Adjusting the output of light which is sufficient to reduce power supply
• Cutting off power supply of the TV and computer when not in use
Limited Space
• Use a double decker bed to bring out more spaces
• The proper of using transparent materials, such as glass, can make the space
more spacious effect
• Share dresser with the roommate
• Light colour can be choose for using as ceiling and wall
• Different combination collocation of the lighting can effectively strengthen the
flexibility of space

Collective living space

Collective living space is very common in this recently years.Collective living space also know as Domestic Collective. In the United States known as Co-op House. 
Collective Housed define as a residence where people share space, food, stuff, housework, and even money. Houses are based around consciously shared values.

Collective house members usually share food and shopping, nightly house dinners, social areas of the house, some amount of money (how much varies by house), and shared values, which also vary from house to house.

 

Benefits of living collectively:

• stronger social networks within our homes
• supportive community
• social belonging, autonomy, and contribution
• greater economic independence from market systems
• save money through bulk buying, sharing resources, etc
• lighter ecological impact due to better sharing of resources
• improved skills for conflict resolution, collaborative decision-making, and accomplishing projects together
• other skill sharing with housemates, such as composting, food preservation, etc!
• increased awareness of community events through social networks and diverse experience of housemates.
• eat healthy, home-cooked food together regularly

Collective house can define as a residence where people share space, food, stuff, housework, and 
money. It is based on the voluntary sharing of a way of life by a group of people. In order to uphold 
this idea the cooperative must ensure that the new members also understand and follow these rules. 
A membership committee made up of existing members of the cooperative must approve all 
prospective members. With the common understanding that the group can live better together than 
they can alone the welfare of the group is put before the comfort of an individual.
What will you do when you find your rental is half of your salary? Nowadays, the house price keeps 
increasing. And this situation brings to the impact of house price increase. If we compare the price 
today with 10 years ago, it is not difficult to discover that there are more young people cannot afford to 
buy a new house or even the rental is also a heavy expenses for them. Finally, the government and 
many departments promote the idea of collective living space to reduce this problem. How about the 
people who come from different culture and background living together? Apart from the benefit by 
saving money, what problems will they face when living in same space? Various research of 
methodologies give us a more accurate and a better understanding in the root of the problem. This 
report has come out with multiple solutions in solving the problems and concluded them into one final 
solution.