The role of outdoor spaces in the performace assessment of housing schemes

Abstract

This paper presents partial results of an on-going research about design factors that affect environmental performance of housing schemes and user satisfaction. This study focused on the relationships between design attributes, types of outdoor appropriation, quality and quantities of existing outdoor spaces, and the effects on community formation, maintenance and residents satisfaction with the housing scheme. The results obtained through post-occupancy evaluation of twelve low-income housing schemes located in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, Brazil, highlight the important role residential outdoor spaces play on performance evaluation and residents satisfaction with housing schemes comprised of different dwelling types, such as four-storey blocks of flats, terraced, detached and semi-detached houses.