
The Islington Park Street commune is almost 40 years old. It was established by a Franciscan monk as a caring community that would care for the vulnerable.

Peter Keserue and Karen Grace on the commune balcony. There is a maximum income for new housemates and diversity criteria. Places are always in demand due to the difficulty to make London's high rents for many.

The housemates share resources and responsibilities, such as preparing meals, gardening and administration. For the older housemates, there is always someone to talk to.

Peter Keserue with the community's fig tree, which he maintains and harvests.

18 residents means a lot of laundry - but at scale the costs are a fraction of a single person's.

For young people, converted warehouses are an attractive housing option as they blend cheap rent and cultural experience.

In Hackney Wick, a network of converted spaces combine to produce events such as the Hackney Wicked festival.

Copper Lane - London's first cohousing community, which was planned and developed by its 13 residents over several years at a cost of almost $3 million.

The design, built by architects Henley Halebrown Rorrison, includes open, social spaces to "encourage different forms of interaction."

Dozens of cohousing projects are in development around the UK, such as the innovative LILAC community in the city of Leeds.