Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood

About this Speaker

The Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood is an innovative urban cohousing development in west Auckland, New Zealand, and a model of socially and environmentally sustainable urban living.

32 homes of different sizes accommodate a community of around 65 people. The founders of Earthsong were committed from the very beginning, in 1995, to building a neighbourhood that was as socially and environmentally sustainable as possible, with a vision statement which began:

Our vision is to establish a cohousing neighbourhood based on the principles of permaculture, that will serve as a model of a socially and environmentally sustainable community.

We continue to implement the aims included in our vision statement:

• Design and construct a cohesive neighbourhood whose layout, buildings and services demonstrate the highest practical standards of sustainable human settlement
• Develop and foster a living environment that uses clear communication, decision-making and conflict resolution guidelines that promote tolerance, safety, respect and co-operation
• Assist in education and public awareness of sustainability by demonstrating and promoting innovative community design and environmentally responsible construction.
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Robin Allison

Robin Allison, an architect by training, is the founder of Earthsong Eco-Neighbourhood in Auckland, New Zealand, a 32–home cohousing neighbourhood that demonstrates leading-edge sustainable design with intensive community involvement; see www.earthsong.org.nz. She guided the thirteen-year development and construction phase of Earthsong, and now writes, teaches and consults around New Zealand to inspire and support thriving connected communities. Robin’s book Cohousing for Life was published in August 2020 and is available from her website www.robinallison.co.nz

Niamh O’Flynn

Niamh has been involved in community activism and climate change campaigning in Aotearoa since 2005. She is the Programme Director at Greenpeace Aotearoa and is passionate about climate change issues, social justice, and people-powered change. She has been living at Earthsong since November 2020.