Here’s a first post to kick off this wonderful journey!
Below are some thougths that should help you to prepare for the first meeting.
1. Major deliverables in the short term …
1.1 “Le programme”
I think it’s for Team Building to take responsibility to find consensus (level 4!) on which common spaces we want to have in The Reef (building on what has already been decided in the Blueprint 1.0).
For this task we depend in part on the decision on how certain common spaces are going to be financed (for which we depend on Team @reef-finance). Will we be collecting revenue for the use of certain common spaces (multi-purpose room, coworking space, spare rooms, …)? If yes, which legal forms are we opting for? Etc.
In the meanwhile we should probably make sure to get as much inspiration as possible (+ a common understanding by the entire group). Options include visits to other cohousings and a meeting with the architects.
Once we know a bit more about the common spaces, people will be better able to make decisions about their individual units. For this too some guidance will probably be needed, but maybe we can fix this too during a collective meeting with the architects?
1.2 Impact of architectural choices on the budget
First point: making The Reef future-proof. Which options exist and how would they impact the budget? Power cuts, droughts, heat waves, floods, …?
Second point: individual units. In the last meeting with our coach Mark he emphasised the importance of keeping things as simple and collective as possible. What can we learn from this?
2. By when do we need it?
We don’t have strict deadlines, but I think it would be great if we could close the decision on the common spaces by 20 November (full day of plenary meetings) at the latest.
The research on the impact on the budget can probably take a bit longer, yet the sooner we can put a number on estimated price per square meter, the easier it will become for people on small budgets to take important decisions about their private units.
If possible, it would also be great if we could prepare something for the first plenary meeting on 1 September.
3. The first meeting
Matteo has volunteered to look for a date (thanks!). I would recommend to look for three dates in one go: one ASAP, one somewhere in the middle to quickly check in and one 2 weeks before the first plenary meeting.
4. Reading up
Here’s a smorgasbord of knowledge and documents we have gathered so far (you may need to click to the original post):
Inspiring cohousings:
L’Echappée manual: 15 pages of interesting knowledge about building a cohousing.
What we learned from Brutopia: this comes with a caveat, because there is a large difference in the amount of common spaces, but the numbers are interesting nevertheless
I am also unable to modify the sheet.
1st: 6, 7, 8 (evenings), 11 (all day)
2nd: 24, 25, 26
3rd: 11, 12
I would also be available most days in the gap between the 1st and the 2nd, and the whole first week of August.
Also not working for me…
1st: 7, 8, 9 (before bbq ), 10, 11
2nd: only available remotely; preferably 21-22, or 26-27-28 (although I will be on holliday, so not sure that I will join… Don’t count me in, at least not in priority, and I’ll join if I can…)
3rd: 16 - 17- 18, 20-21 (and maybe 11-15 remotely, but not sure)
@matteomeschiari I also can’t change your file, not even from the inside. What worries me more is that it’s a publicly accessible link. Could you please change this? (you can click on “details” in Nextcloud > “sharing” > 4th button “internal link”).
My availabilities: the 11th, and then everything else.
No, the confesseur is only interested in whether households can afford the apartment they would like. If you’re interested you can have a look in the folder of Team Finance > Documents received from Mark.
@Lee I changed the link to internal. Let me know if that is what you meant.
Now the excel planning should be editable!
Team building. Isn’t Emanuelle also in team building? I don not see her in the Edgeryders tag.
Meetings. I wait for the response regarding Emanuelle but for the moment I would consider:
meeting 1: 11th at 19.30 seems the date. I see if I can get free on that date. ONLINE or PERSON?
meeting 2: 26th seems the plausible
meeting 3: to be fixed soon.
Online or Personal
Since it’s with short notice, let’s keep the meeting 1 ONLINE.
I would keep maybe meeting 3 in person and meeting 2 (since just a check up) online.
To recap
meeting 1: 11/7 at 19.30 ONLINE (I will send a link)
meeting 2: 26/7 at 19.30 ONLINE (other option the 22/7, I see for Sarah is better but not for Alexandre)
meeting 3: I suggest or 16/8 (Alexandre missing) or 12/8 (Sarah not sure)
Could you please add the link to the meeting in the Nextcloud calendar? And would you possibly also be willing to add the other two meetings to the calendar?
Thanks!
@reef-building: I have created a draft agenda and a Powerpoint to structure the meeting a bit (internal link). It is strongly based on sociocracy (references are in the notes section). Any feedback more than welcome!
Instant communication group
I am trying to create a whatsapp group but I encountered few obstacles:
– Only Alexandre has it from what I can see.
– @GiuSeb we still don’t have your number on the registry.
– @Lee, in or out of this internal communication group? I guess out on a long term. Short term?
Solution:
Please state what applications you have and ur favourite.
Based on those inputs, I will choose one and ask for consent of everybody.
Everybody will have to then take care of having that app installed.
Matteo: I have Whatsapp, Telegram. No preference, other apps possible.
Meeting 26/07
– Facilitator @GiuSeb structures a bit the meeting with slides and so as Lie did?
And upload presentation on Nextcloud?
As far as I know the 2nd meeting is more of a check up so probably a little bit shorter.
What do you think?
In general can you handle that?
Financial impact of architecture
– Schoonschip has a very nice shared online guide divided in topics (also finance).
A good place to start to study and define the major themes as Lie mentioned. link
– Schoonschip gives also advice/ assistance (see hereby). It is probably interesting to contact them also for this?
I can take care of it if we agree.
‘‘Would you like to get advice on building sustainably, floating architecture or anything else? Mail to advies@schoonschipamsterdam.org’’.
Schoonschip visit
– @Sarah, efficient! Email sent. We wait for a first response.
Visits with Reeflings
How do we practically choose a date (besides availabilities of the hosting organisation)?
– We state one or two options and choose the one where most reeflings can attend?
– Or we attempt an excel file with calendar as I did (this time openable:) and choose based on those inputs. We can give a deadline to compile it and then asses the dates.
Cohousing tour 8 October
– First language is Dutch but if there are internationals generally they switch to English.
I think that’s all I can think of for now.
Have a good weekend!
Next steps for organising visits to other co-housings
How to proceed for the questionnaire on what to do with common spaces
I have left a similar time to the past meeting, but indeed we may be faster. There are no slides to the meeting, but before hand please have a look at:
last meeting’s actions
the agenda
please come prepared with ideas for what could be included in the Reef common space for our brainstorming
), 10, 11
