Evaluating the urban form elements as determinants of neighbourhood satisfaction in Malaysian cities

Abstract

Satisfaction with the residential neighbourhood is an important indicator of housing and neighbourhood quality and condition that may affect an individual’s quality of life. Identification of factors which determine the satisfaction provides important inputs to the monitoring of the success of policies to achieve sustainable development. This paper explores the notion of sustainable urban form and social sustainability through evaluating the influence of urban form elements as determinants of neighbourhood satisfaction. Urban form elements claimed to have various significant impacts of sustainability. Several studies have explored the links between urban form and social sustainability in which urban form is able to improve access to facilities, social interactions, quality of life that would lead to a better neighbourhood satisfaction. This paper focuses on aspects that would contribute to the quality of life by examining the satisfaction of local residents with their neighbourhood in relation to the different urban form elements. This study adopted a quantitative method approach and data were collected through a questionnaire survey and observation survey. Findings revealed, that several urban form elements i.e. density, housing type and land use mix have a certain level of influence to improve the neighbourhood satisfaction among the local residents.