At the core of the organizational structure of the community will be a small number (likely 5-8) of groups, each based on a different related set of concepts, interests, passions, or project(s). We call each such group a "pod", although that term might change. Pods can have some dedicated residence space, such as a dorm floor or wing, and there may eventually be some overlap between similar groups. Each space could be customized and organized to suit the group using it, and each group would contribute in some way to making the rest of the campus and organization better for everyone.
Depending on our choice of business plan to facilitate the purchase of the property, there may be an educational component involved in each pod, where some members of the pod are long term residents with experience in the focus of that pod, and other members are shorter term residents intent on learning from them.
Pod members will be carpenters, welders, machinists, engineers, artists, etc who want to make extensive use of the fabrication facilities on the property such as the auto shop, wood shop, welding shop, large materials storage, etc. This pod will be responsible for equipping and maintaining those existing shops, as well as building out additional special purpose shops such as high tech fabrication, fiber crafts, etc. Classes and tool certification for the shops would also be in this pod's wheelhouse. Part of the "chores" of this pod would be working at the direction of the facility manager on improvements to the facility at large.
This pod will consist of painters, sculptors, musicians, and other sorts of artistic creators. Some as permanent members pursuing their creative passions while also enabling others to do the same, some in residencies of weeks to months where we enable them to accomplish things alone or with us that they couldn't on their own. Common spaces managed by this pod would likely include performance spaces, public and private art and music studio space, and small materials storage. Contribution to the larger group would include decoration of the common spaces in general and for events, organizing large scale projects and events, writing grants to support the artists residencies, and possibly otherwise financial in nature.
The garden pod will focus on sustainable/regenerative agriculture that will steward the garden, orchard, vineyard, flower beds, and other plant-focused spaces on campus. 30-40 of the property's 50 acres may eventually be used for agriculture. The Spring quarter after we launch will involve planting and curating the existing garden, maintaining and improving the orchard and vineyard, defining the plans of expansion in the summer and fall, implementing production of elevated/raised beds, and establishing composting procedures. The members of this pod will be responsible for managing operations in the garden with assistance from others putting in community effort time working in the garden. The initial contributions of this pod back to the community will be in the form of fruits and vegetables for consumption.
Later goals for this pod, such as over the first winter and/or in the second year, will be to further establish revenue generating operations that the pod members can participate in, with revenue split between the pod members, pod operations, and the larger CoDwell community. These operations might involve pickling, winemaking, jams and jellies, mead, and other value-added agricultural products such as preserved food produced from the abundance grown in our gardens, or non-food products such as bamboo, edible/cut flowers, as well as culinary herbs.
This pod is being carefully designed and planned by those who are passionate about healthy food grown for all to enjoy!
This pod would welcome people for whom these facets are important to their social identity. Contribution to the community at large could be providing support resources, classes, play spaces, and events.
Members will have the unique opportunity to interact with like-minded individuals on a much more regular basis than what is usually feasible between events, munches, and conventions.
Resident members will have the option of a room in a wing private to this pod. This space may be clothing-optional at some or all times. It may have purpose-built rooms for the activities of the members and their guests. Exactly what the space ends up looking like will be up to the pod members.
This pod will only be open to adult members.
These members would BYO-bedroom. Coordination in this pod would involve placement and sharing of logistics. Contribution to the community at large would likely involve some classes, some home improvement, and some additional financial contribution (less than a private room in the dorm). A few people have expressed interest in bringing their tiny home on site, so we're eager for someone to step up as an organizer for this pod.
A residency/retreat-like project similar to the Recurse Center where other interested participants would become members for some months and engage in educational activities related to software development and programming while on the campus. Output from this project could be something incubator-like or recruiting-oriented. Campus-wide contributions could be software / technological solutions to the needs of other projects on campus, financial in nature arising from the output of the program, or something else. Two interested members have proposed organizing this project.
Individuals and groups who practice and/or teach various body and mind related activities. Common spaces in this pod would likely be spaces customized by the various practitioners to meet their needs, and would likely expect to be quieter than elsewhere on campus. Campus-wide contributions could be classes, services, or possibly financial in nature. No specific person has stepped forward to organize this community, but it is a recurring suggestion from interested parties who see it as a good fit for our model.
There is great potential for family-oriented coliving here, perhaps with each family unit having some dedicated rooms that approximate an apartment, or perhaps in a more village-like model with multiple families sharing a floor or wing of a building. The permanent inclusion of children in the larger community would require additional negotiation, planning, and precautions, but that is a surmountable hurdle. Common spaces in this dorm would likely be more house-like, and may also include home schooling facilities. Contributions to the campus from this could be in the form of maintenance, food preparation, generally more chore-like activities, or may be financial in nature.
The nature of the property and amenities lend themselves to this potential pod. The property includes an outdoor jogging track and enough clear space for a soccer field, the gym has an indoor basketball court, and we can build out a space with exercise equipment. Common spaces in this pod might have a bouldering wall/room, additional exercise equipment, or resident bicycle storage. Contributions to the campus could be maintenance and expansion of the exercise and sports equipment and facilities, guided hikes, or exercise classes.
You won’t find as much commercial kitchen space as this campus has in any other coliving environment. A pod of foodies and [aspiring] chefs would make great use of that part of the property, while also providing a much needed service to the community. The economy of scale in both effort and price for producing large communal meals would be quite welcome. Profitable commercial food preparation is a possibility. Cooking classes would also be a good fit.
This pod would align with the potential use of the property for larger gatherings and festivals. They could also make use of the large indoor and outdoor physical activity spaces, similar to the Fitness group described earlier.
This pod might include photographers, podcasters, vloggers, streamers, etc, and cater to their needs for equipment, space, quiet, etc. Contributions to the community could be in the form of media production for other pods' needs, maintenance and sourcing of of A/V equipment, or financial in nature.
A support pod exists specifically to help all the other pods accomplish something specific. These pods will generally be smaller than other pods.
This pod helps members of other pods start and run small businesses within their pod, such as the maker pod selling furniture, the garden pod selling pickles, or the crafts pod hosting classes. This could include planning, launching, maybe also accounting and taxes.
This pod helps members of other pods organize events open to the public. Planning, advertising, ticketing, registration, check-in, crowd logistics, safety and security, etc.
This pod helps members of other pods with technical needs. Computer use, computer programming, electronic and computer controlled tools, light and sound control for events and performance, etc.
If you are excited about being part of this project, and want to organize an intentional community of 5-20 people as a small slice of the larger meta-community we aim to start, get in touch.