Escher Cooperative House

Located at 1500 to 1520 Gilbert Court, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Escher Cooperative House, named after artist M. C. Escher.^[1]

History

Government funding

The creation of the Escher Cooperative House was instituted when government funds became available in 1958 for low-interest, long-term loans for cooperatives on college campuses. The Inter-Cooperative Council at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor first discussed constructing a "cooperative village" on the University of Michigan Ann Arbor's North Campus during the mid-1950s as a result of the University announcing its intent to host the colleges of engineering and art there. The University of Michigan needed to co-sign the loan, but was reluctant however, thinking that the campus fraternities and sororities would request the same kind of service.Until 1964 when Congress amended the law so that university signatures were no longer required, the idea of a North Campus Cooperative was tabled. As a result of strict selection criteria, no student cooperative had yet received a HUD loan when the ICC sent in its five-pound application in 1968. A few months later, HUD approved the application, and an ICC caravan traveled to Chicago to collect their funding, where they garnered attention from more conservative individuals.^[2]

Escher Cooperative House

Nine houses

After the construction of the house it was organized into nine houses with separate governments, and two additional houses to represent the kitchens.

Two houses

In 1985 under the direction of Jim Jones the eleven houses were reorganized into 2 houses Renaissance and O'Keeffe. During that time they were also renovated to improve quality of life.^[3]

One house

In May 2014 the house was united after a vote of the members to amend their old constitutions to be one united constitution. Although the names of the original houses still remain in use. The nine names of the original houses now are used to refer to sections of the building, and the names of the kitchen houses have been left to refer to each of the kitchens.

Residence

In keeping with the geographical placement of Escher house, residents are primarily students from the schools of art & design, architecture and urban planning, engineering, and music, theatre, and dance.^[4] A large population of O'Keeffe consists of graduate students in the aforementioned schools as well as in other disciplines, although there are also long-time residents that have lived there for over two decades.^[5] However, a substantial portion of house members are undergraduate students. The house itself tends to be quieter than the other cooperatives on the University of Michigan's Central Campus, due to the older average age of members. The property is surrounded by acres of verdant property; wildlife such as white-tail deer, groundhogs, fox squirrels, skunks among others call the grounds home.^[6] There is a large recreational room where residents often watch movies, have parties and play ping pong among other activities.

Suites

The house is composed of nine suites named after historical figures or literary works: Trantor Mir, Walden III, John Sinclair, Bag End, Emiliano Zapata, Valhalla, Bertrand Russell, Karma, and Falstaff ^[7]

Each suite houses approximately fifteen to twenty members, although the number may be lower during the spring and summer months when many of the University's operations slow significantly.^[8] Members' rooms are either 'large singles' meant for a single occupant, large singles converted into a double room, or small singles.^[9] Along with residents' rooms, each suite comprises a small kitchen and a lounge with television.

Food

Escher employs its own private chef to prepare dinner and provide lunch materials for members. GUFF (General Unspecified Free Food) food ^[10] is available in the central kitchen twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Vegan, vegetarian and omnivorous options are available at all meals and those with food allergies are accommodated^[11]

Cost of living

Money paid in exchange for living in the house are known as charges rather than rent, since members own shares in the Inter-Cooperative Council (and therefore a minute portion of their house) which then distributes money throughout the 18 cooperatives.^[12] Charges vary based upon such factors as gas, food, electricity and water prices, but typically run from $500–$800 per room based on size of the room as well as the contract period signed for. Charges are all inclusive.

Work

In addition to charges each member is required to contribute time to the house. Work generally consists of cleaning or cooking tasks and is broken into 3 different units. Work for the house includes cooking, cleaning the basement or the kitchen, taking care of the grounds, and holding officer positions this is expected to take three hours each week. Suite chores include vacuuming common areas, cleaning the suite kitchens, or serving as suite manager or on the house council (a group of suite elected people chosen to oversee house officers), and is expected to take one hour each week. The third division of labor is to clean hall bathrooms which is split between the members living in the 4 or 5 rooms bordering the bathroom.

References

Coordinates: 42°17′44″N 83°43′30″W / 42.2956°N 83.7251°W / 42.2956; -83.7251