Thirty years ago, a group of friends in British Columbia set out to create a new kind of ecovillage—and they built it under glass. Located 30 miles south of Vancouver, WindSong is Canada’s first cohousing community, designed with pedestrian streets covered by a greenhouse-style roof.

The goal was clear: protect residents from the west coast’s rain and snow while fostering year-round neighborly connections.

The community features 34 privately owned townhomes, a 5,000-square-foot common house with a communal kitchen and dining room, shared laundry, underground parking, organic gardens, and preserved green spaces.

We spoke with some of WindSong’s founders about their nearly three decades in this multigenerational neighborhood and how its innovative architecture continues to bring people together.