الفهرس 
Chapter One: GATED COMMUNITIES ? AN EXCLUSIVE RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPEOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The existing investment residential areas in Egypt (here defined as low to middle density gated residential developments in new towns) contain a considerable proportion of vegetation and land which is not built over mainly within private gardens and shared open spaces. This residential form possibly will continue for the foreseeable future and their established green structures can through the straightforward design and application of appropriate design solutions add to the economics of these housing projects in particular and the environment sustainability at large.
The subject of this study is shared open spaces in gated residential developments scattered on the
desert fringe of the Greater Cairo Region mainly in new cities and along desert highways. The
investigation of shared open spaces is grounded in the belief that the new exclusive residential
landscape deserves the same nuanced study as cities themselves. This study is also inspired by the increasing provision of high quality shared open spaces with additional embellishments in an effort from
developers to anticipate homeowners’ tastes, estimating the potentially higher returns. In this perspective open spaces were assumed to be important marketing tools that address and appeals to the needs of future residents.
The ultimate goal of this research is to suggest ways to achieve more economic outcomes based on residents’ opinions and perceptions that can be used to optimize both dwellers satisfaction and sustainability of residential landscapes. A questionnaire survey was constructed to assess four preliminary hypotheses proposed to address the objectives of the study. The research parameters are drawn from a wide array of literature concerning the relationship between people and their living environment. The research questions examined the preferred physical characteristics and the perceived benefits of living in gated residential developments with some commonly owned open spaces. Also, these spaces were explored and evaluated in terms of adequacy for use by the residents.
It has been evident by the survey‐based study that shared open space was assumed to be viewed by households as part of the overall service flow received from the residential lot bundle. It was not a
paramount concern while enclosure and privacy were matter of interest. The results of statistical examinations demonstrated that this type of urban landscape might optimize residents’ quality of life with regard to promoting sense of identity and sense of wellbeing but it does not promote social activities among neighbours. Also, there is a reasonable degree of consensus between residents in determining the preferences in relation to the design of shared open space and how they are being utilized. Additionally, residents’ satisfaction with their urban landscape was found to be greatly
depending on their involvement in managing process which can be a cornerstone to promote
sustainable landscape practices. Furthermore, despite low environmental awareness, adopting the basic principle of water‐efficient landscaping is attainable.
The findings of this research contribute to the holistic understanding of how economic attributes can be enhanced in relation to residents’ preferences for urban landscape specifically by delivering the best possible value of use, protecting property values, savings on outgoing and ongoing costs.