In 2019 a group with a shared vision for a cohousing community came together. They envisioned a neighbourhood built around mutual support, shared resources, and sustainable living.

 

Through consensus-based planning and community workshops, the founding members developed their values and design direction together, in 2020 they purchased 14.5 hectares of land in Tākaka, and began recruiting the 34 households that would form the Kōwhai Cohousing neighbourhood.

 

Architects and builders were brought on to realise a design incorporating sustainable features and shared amenities. The path wasn't smooth, land acquisition, council consents, and financing were all significant hurdles, but early residents helped keep things moving by providing loans to the project.

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By 2023 the homes were complete, set among gardens and communal green spaces. 2024 saw a full complement of 34 homes alongside a natural timber-frame Common House, with residents sharing meals, working bees, and community events.