Yesterday morning, November 30, the opening ceremony took place del Turrós, the first rural project of Sostre Cívic and the first cooperative housing in the Garrotxa region. About twenty people gathered to celebrate this new initiative: agents of the social economy of the territory, people from around the municipality, technicians and organizations that have made the project possible, and other members of the cooperative. All to accompany and thank the driving group del Turrós their efforts and energies that have made possible this pioneering project in several ways.

The emotional bond between the vast majority of participants, and a long career of activism for the dynamism and promotion of alternative and cooperative economy practices in La Garrotxa and other territories, they made the event a beautiful moment full of complicity and affection.

There was also no lack of thanks to all the people who have participated in the promotion of the project, with special mention to Marcel·lí Bonfill, former owner of the farm and to Glòria Mota, the former masovera. Xevi Iglesias, from theAteneo Cooperative de Terres Girona, affirmed "offering this alternative model of housing without the collaboration of the property is practically impossible. It is very important to have reference models so that other people are encouraged and continue to make it possible."

One factor that made the negotiations with the property easier was that the group was very clear about what they wanted from the start prevent the farmhouse from ever being subject to speculation. Eva Ortigosa, working partner of the cooperative and member of the Governing Council, thanked in her speech that the group's bet to guarantee this was to become part of Sostre Cívic:

Beyond cooperative housing

However El Turrós it does not respond only to a need for housing but also to a need for work, taking as a model the close interrelationship of the productive and reproductive life of the farming lifestyles.

En Jeff Guillemet, financial services cooperative Coop57, made special mention of this comprehensive project vision: "The first cooperative housing projects that we promoted were in Barcelona, ​​with Princesa49 and La Borda, but soon after we considered the importance of accompanying initiatives that defend the territory in areas that need special reactivation. We want that El Turrós be an emblematic project for us, as it integrates housing and the boost of the local social economy.”

Living in community

El Turrós is also the first project of Sostre Cívic which is created with a single unit of coexistence. In other words that is, we do not contemplate private spaces that are complete homes and a community life is proposed with private rooms of different sizes, but with common spaces (bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, storage rooms, etc.) for everyone. A commitment to live in community in capital letters.

House is the building, but "house" is above all the group. We are very clear about that, and we will take care of it to make it so.

Mireia Font, member ofel Turrós.

The group is intergenerational, with a very different age range, ranging from a two-and-a-half-year-old baby to the oldest person, 75 years old. "This makes us even more plural, since we have to live with these energy differences, and the different needs they entail" Home is the building, but "home" is above all the group, and we are very clear about that, and we will take care of it because so be it.", affirmed Mireia Font, one of the members of the group.

GALLERY OF IMAGES