Cohaus, a 20-unit resident-led development on Surrey Crescent, shows what happens when architecture, community, and sustainability come together.
Grey Lynn is no stranger to tension between its historic villas and demand for new housing. Yet Cohaus has proven that intensification can be beautiful, respectful, and enriching. Its’ understated street presence conceals an inner world of courtyards, communal gardens, and light-filled apartments. The original villa on the site was retained and refurbished, anchoring the development in heritage while welcoming new life.
Architect and co-founder Thom Gill says this development is exactly what Auckland needs.
“Density doesn’t need to mean compromise. With the right design, we can add homes without losing the character people cherish. Cohaus proves that medium-density housing can lift a neighbourhood.”Auckland Council’s Team Leader Urban Design and Landscape Strategy Nicole Miller says, despite its consenting challenges at the time, Cohaus was designed in a way that reflects many of the qualities the council wants to see in medium density development into the future.
“While this project was developed within a co-housing framework, the outcomes, spatial qualities and benefits of living closer together with shared amenities aren’t limited to this model of development – it’s an approach to living that can be applied to many scenarios.”
Inside Cohaus, there’s a richness of life that goes beyond walls and floorplans. Families with toddlers share space with retirees. A communal laundry, guest flat, bike storage, and shared cars reduce costs while lowering environmental footprints. Gardens spill across the central courtyard, where neighbours swap vegetables as easily as stories. This mixed generation living keeps people close to schools, jobs, and transport, while also easing social isolation, a quiet benefit as Auckland ages.
Georgianne Griffiths and her family are residents of the complex, and she says living at Cohaus has exceeded her expectations.
“It’s a beautiful space and there is a real sense of community.
“One of the design elements that has worked well is to restrict parking of our six shared cars to the edge of the development. Without driveways and carparks at our front doors we can maximise our garden space, which has become the centre of our community, and create a place where kids of all ages can run free.”
During the build phase, by sharing resources and cutting out developer profit margins, residents could create high-quality homes for less. Each member had a hand in shaping the design, meaning spaces feel liveable and intuitive.
“Now, many design aspects of Cohaus are reflected in Auckland’s future planning direction; the creation of homes that are more climate resilient, safe, healthy, functional and attractive places to live,” says Miller.“This means enabling density in places where it makes sense, close to transport options, existing infrastructure and public amenities, and ensuring planning provisions promote ‘density done well’.
“This Unitary Plan includes new requirements that support canopy trees, communal outdoor living areas, the need for storage, measures to keep homes cooler, and a stronger emphasis on placing buildings that connect and activate the street.
“Many of these elements are part of what makes Cohaus so successful.” adds Miller.
As Gill puts it, “This is about the future of how we live together. Not gated suburbs, not anonymous towers, but neighbourhoods where people know each other.”
For residents anxious about change, Cohaus is reassurance made real. It demonstrates that medium-density housing can sit comfortably in a historic suburb, enhance its character, and create a community that feels both modern and timeless. This is the kind of development that makes cities greener, more liveable, and more connected - exactly what Auckland needs now.
Visit the AKHaveYourSay website up to 12 December to learn more about Plan Change 120 and make a submission.
