ABSTRACT
Serenbe is what’s known as an agrihood, a community structured around nature and agriculture. It’s based on biophilic principles – the idea that people live happier and healthier lives when they are more connected to the natural world. So at Serenbe, a farm is the heart of the neighbourhood, and idyllic countryside (complete with 15 miles of trails) provides the surroundings. Since the first house was completed in 2004, Serenbe has grown to include a series of ‘hamlets’, containing more than 350 homes. It’s similar to co-housing, in that people own or rent entire houses, and the community spirit is generated in the areas that surround them. Nygren believes that Serenbe residents all have two things in common: a passport and a sense of optimism. In fact, around 30% of Serenbe’s residents use this as their vacation home rather than their main residence, making it all the more impressive that it has managed to cultivate.
