Alkes Have near Mørkøv, Denmark

Cohousing community with a focus on diversity and inclusion.

On the outskirts of the station town of Knabstrup in North Zealand (Denmark) lies the small homogeneous development called Alkes Have. To the north and west, there are unobstructed views of fields and open sky. To the south, the houses join the existing town and thus become part of the larger community.

The 40 rental homes were built as wooden houses with high requirements for sustainability – environmentally and socially. The houses are staggered around a green area and a centrally located community centre. The relatively small units provide a pleasant degree of variation in a settlement whose scale and facades have a common expression.

In principle, the ideas behind Alkes Have are not new. In the 1980s, progressive architects, such as Vandkunsten, created inspirational housing types where socialising and nature took centre stage. Even today, this type of residence is very appealing to the growing number of people who dream of living in the countryside and being part of a community. It fulfils a need to live in harmony and side by side with people of different ages to be able to express oneself more freely than in the traditional detached house environment.

Roof shapes are reflected in the interior

Designed by CoreHome, the houses start out as sharp sculptures in the landscape. The wooden facades will soon to start to soften up, however. Moving forward, trees, wild flower beds and a bathing lake will help create an attractive outdoor environment between the houses.

The interiors are spacious and bright with common-sense layouts. The homes range from 28 m2 to 110 m2, thus providing the basis for considerable diversity among the group of residents. They comprise families with children, artists, singles, couples and people just enjoying their retirement.

The high ceilings in the residences are an essential quality that enhances the experience of the spaces. The ceilings are clad with traditional white-painted Troldtekt panels that reflect daylight as well as creating pleasant acoustics across the open-plan floors. The choice of fine-textured Troldtekt is also perfectly in line with the architects' consistent desire for bio-based and breathable structures.