The Sirkulo Cooperative

oneworldarch
Jun 19
2 min read

At its heart, The Sirkulo Cooperative is more than a comfortable place to live — it’s an innovation in how we live and thrive as a community.

We recently entered a design competition for a new multi-family housing concept in Los Angeles called Small Lots Big Impacts. Our entry was called the Sirkulo Cooperative. In this co-op concept, instead of a mortgage, residents purchase shares and become co-op members who will receive a share of the property’s income on a monthly basis. Income generating functions on the property include a leasable community room for gatherings and events, and co-working spaces that invite collaboration and commerce. Bike rentals, an ice cream shop, and other services bring joy and convenience to the co-op.

Income will first cover expenses, then provide a dividend to residents. The cost of the development’s construction could be proportionally shared by a nonprofit co-op incubator and co-op members. Residents are not just neighbors, they become co-creators and stewards of their community. This isn’t just home ownership — it’s income generation woven into the fabric of everyday living.

Using SB-1123, the property is divided into five parcels, with four parcels providing eight residential units via ADUs. The units range in size creating a variety of lower-rung housing options, opening the development to a more diverse pool of residents.

Taking inspiration from Japanese and Korean housing design, the units are modestly sized, carefully planned, and generously appointed with storage. Each unit has access to sunlight, natural cross-ventilation, and a private bicycle garage. The facade is designed as modular units, offering different configurations at the exterior wall to emphasize storage, clothes-drying, garden space, or a place to step out for fresh air and sunshine.

Offering access to the building’s services to the neighborhood builds local connections and increases safety by creating public-facing activity. The building offers the neighbors a place to meet and connect with each other and friends and family. The Sirkulo Cooperative is to belong and to grow.