COMMUNAL SPACES AND COMMUNITY LIFE IN GATED DEVELOPMENTS | ||||
| Journal of Urban Research | ||||
| Article 6, Volume 10, Issue 1, October 2013, Page 99-113 PDF (1.6 MB) | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jur.2013.93833 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
| Faisal Abdul Maksoud1; Seamus Filor2; Ghada Yassein1 | ||||
| 1Department of Architecture, Menoufeya University, Egypt | ||||
| 2Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Attractive communal open spaces with recreational facilities in gated residential developments are the market solution to provide collective club goods fulfilling the diverse preferences of prospective homebuyers. The issue is that communal open spaces are supposed to promote community life; it has been argued that residents moving into cohousing or developments associated with shared open spaces are likely those who are most predisposed to the idea of community life and seek to make it available. This paper develops a framework for measuring benefits of communal spaces to surrounding residents, specifically psychological effects: sense of identity, sense of community, and sense of well being. A questionnaire survey was constructed based on the review of literature. In general, the study dealt with residents of 16 gated developments from various areas in Egypt. The questionnaire results were compiled and analysed using SPSS statistical software. The first step was exploratory analysis to describe the respondents and their preferences. The second step was testing psychological values of communal spaces. It is concluded that communal spaces could enhance the quality of life for the residents of gated developments by establishing a sense of place along with influencing their physical and psychological health and well-being. Whilst the space is not understood as a collective space; an individualized lifestyle emerges contributing to the more lenient attitude towards social activities among neighbours. The research findings constitute a comprehensive approach considering household preferences and perceptions to evaluate urban landscapes objectively. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Gated residential developments (GRDs); Communal/Shared open space (SOS); Sense of community; Sense of identity; Sense of wellbeing | ||||
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