Maos Lyst, Housing collective in Hellerup, Denmark
Maos Lyst is a housing collective in Hellerup, in the Gentofte Municipality just north of Copenhagen, occupying a building from the early 1900s. The site includes a front yard, a garden, a greenhouse, a campfire area, and a large shared kitchen at the center of daily life.
The collective was founded in 1968 as an all-male residence and soon opened up to a mixed community of adults and children. This shift made it one of the early examples of communal living in Denmark.
The residents practice shared cooking and eating as part of their daily life, focusing on organic food and sustainable living. These communal meals are central to how people here live and connect with each other.
Visiting during daylight hours allows you to see the outdoor spaces, the garden, and the greenhouse in full. Since this is a working residential community, contacting them beforehand to arrange a visit is a good idea.
Every year the collective organizes a gathering that brings former residents back together with current members. This tradition keeps connections alive across different decades of shared life in the house.
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