The Castalia housing cooperative offers decent housing to 47 families in the Barrio Sur district of Montevideo, Uruguay. The name of Castalia comes from Hermann Hesse’s book “The Glass Bead Game” and evokes an idealistic province which was reserved by political decision for the life of the mind. Inspired by a utopian project of harmonious coexistence and challenged by the process of gentrification, the Castalia housing aims at strengthening community links within the neighborhood and fostering social inclusion and development. Above all, it consists of a collective project that seeks to take roots in a sustainable and inclusive manner. With a high degree of housing coop-friendliness, the Uruguayan housing law facilitates access to finance with State loans that can reach 85% of the housing project's value. This is key for housing cooperatives to thrive.

Watch the full documentary film by aroundtheworld.coop to learn more about this collective project that gives the key to many families to start a personal life project within a solid community based on solidarity and mutual support.