Neighbourhood Design and Community Building (original) (raw)

2007, The Appropriate Home: Can We Design “Appropriate” Residential Environments? by Shehayeb, D., Turgut Yildiz, H. & Kellett, P. (Eds.) (2007). HBRC: Cairo, Egypt. (ISBN 977-17-4798-3). Proceedings of the First HBRC & IAPS-CSBE Network Joint Symposium.

The aim of this paper is to discern lessons that would guide the design and planning process of residential environments. As a continuation of previous work discussing the social dimension of dwelling/home design, including near-home spaces, and the significance of sharing the same physical boundaries as a basis for community formation, this paper draws from the findings of an empirical research project funded by the National Academy of Scientific Research and Technology in Egypt, and conducted at the Housing and Building research Centre. The issue in question is which design and planning features of the outdoor spaces and streets of a neighbourhood affect certain aspects of social interaction and how. We present a model of social interaction that sets forth two critical objectives in neighbourhood design. The empirical data analysis sheds the light on the role of the built environment in influencing social interaction among residents directly and indirectly through providing reasons for being in the neighbourhood’s streets and open spaces, and fulfilling the requirements that make different resident groups spend more time in such spaces. The findings reinforce the model presented confirms that this role is inherent in the built environment’s potential along two dimensions; its’ potential to allow opportunities to “meet”, and opportunities to “control” social interaction with other occupants. The significance of this model is therefore to better guide the design and planning of urban neighbourhoods by putting forth these two, usually hidden factors, as clear objectives for future neighbourhood design.