Holding on to Home - Cara Penquite

Neighbors Pernille and Benedicte clean up after a brunch with the rest of housing block five. Many members of the housing block came together to clean the common house they all share. Of the eight housing blocks, group five is unique since they each co-own the land in the housing group and therefore must work together to make joint decisions.

Holding on to Home

Andelssamfundet i Hjortshøj (AiH) is a cooperative ecovillage tucked

between trees and the rest of the

railroad town of Hjortshøj. Step through the trees, and you’re in a

different world—dirt paths wind past

colorful houses and crowded gardens.

Beyond the village, rolling vegetable fields complete the scene, but

Aarhus Kommune, which owns the land, may sell it for housing. Despite receiving over 600 public comments on the Kommune’s plans—a number representing double the population of the community—residents fear the city might continue with their plan and prioritize the highest bidder, likely a developer, which could change the daily lives of those tending the land.

For now the community awaits a decision.

The common house next to block one is also a common house for the whole ecovillage. There is a small store selling baked goods at the front of the house which is run by volunteers and individuals living in the community who work flex-jobs.

Marie Boesen runs the community farm at AiH on the land the city wants to build houses on. Although Boesen has met with city officials to try to persuade the Kommune leadership to build housing on different land, she is wary of their upcoming decision. In early April she plans to bring city officials out to the land to see how the community has developed over the last thirty years.

Community members in housing block five participate in spring cleaning together. With the warmer weather there were kids biking around the block as the adults worked together to shake out cushions from the common house and deep clean the common kitchen.

Many of the community member in housing block five have lived in the ecovillage for decades. The kids in these photos from October 2004 are now adults and many have moved out while their parents remain. Although the population of AiH is growing older, there are many young families also moving into housing block five with renewed passion for the goals of the community.

Housing block five meets to review their common plans for the land they co-own.

Gerda Lodvigsen has lived in AiH for 29 years. As an elderly adult living with bipolar, she says she appreciates the community aspect of living in the ecovillage. She often visits with her neighbors and sometimes takes care of their cat when they are out of town.

Sebastian Dinesen, left, hugs his son Vilfred Somer Dinesen, 3, as he plays with toys after eating dinner. The family lives in block five which is more affordable for families, and Dinesen looks forward to raising his two kids with their mom in the community.