BULL CITY COMMONS CO-HOUSING

Durham, NC | Photography by Tzu Chen

Bull City Commons began when a group of people pooled their resources and purchased a brownfield property with considerable site constraints. They were motivated to create an intentional community in a walkable neighborhood near downtown Durham. Upon growing to 23 households they self-developed Bull City Commons Cohousing, a 5 story condo in Old West Durham.

The site’s limitations and adjacent woods informed the design, resulting in a slender building with condos ranging from studios to 3 bedrooms. Single-loaded corridors with ample windows allow interior bedrooms to receive borrowed daylight through clerestories. The wide hallways also double as gathering spaces and residential units each feature a forest view and balcony. Solar panels cover the roof and numerous commons spaces accommodate shared resources.