Robin Allison

Robin Allison is a New Zealand architectural designer and the designer of a co-housing community in West Auckland. The community is New Zealand's first purpose-built co-housing development. After graduating, she tutored in solar design at the University of Auckland. From 1990 to 1992, Allison worked for Housing New Zealand and wrote the guidelines for thermal performance and environmental performance for Housing New Zealand's revised code for the design of their housing units. Her residential projects featured passive solar building design principles and were designed using earth and untreated timber framing.

In 2008, Allison received a Winston Churchill Fellowship to study sustainable community and town centres in various Europe and the United States. She co-founded Yes In My Front Yard, Centre for Natural Building Technology in 2015, an advisory group specialising in knowledge of environmentally restorative materials and systems.

Allison is a fellow of the New Zealand Social Entrepreneur Fellowship. She developed the project vision and group agreements around decision-making, group process and eco-design, as well as the construction aspects of managing contracts, budgets and detailed oversight of the building.

A former organic orchard was purchased by the group in 1999, and design of the development began. The neighbourhood was designed based on co-housing and permaculture principles. The development consists of 32 terrace houses and eco-apartments on 1.3 hectares of orchard land, and houses around 69 residents.

The neighbourhood was designed for sustainability utilising passive solar design, solar panels, and roof water collection and re-use. The houses are constructed with low energy materials such as rammed earth walls and locally sourced timber for exterior cladding and interiors. Individual homes of varying sizes, shared gardens, carparks, workshop, and a large central "Common House" make up the buildings within Earthsong. The common house includes a guest suite, shared laundry facilities, living and play areas, and a large kitchen which hosts community meals cooked by the residents. The community also shares the maintenance and care of the gardens and grounds.

Allison continues to consult and educate regarding co-housing with public tours of Earthsong, workshops, and academic seminars.