From Single- to Multi-Family Public Housing: Analyzing Social Sustainability Aspects of Recent Designs in the UAE
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methodology
3. The Developed Conceptual Framework
3.1. Literature Review for Social Sustainability Aspects
3.1.1. Functional Mixed-Use
3.1.2. Social Interaction
3.1.3. Accessibility
3.1.4. Security
3.1.5. Privacy
3.1.6. High Quality of Living Environment
3.1.7. User Needs
3.1.8. Residents’ Involvement in the Design
3.2. Social Sustainability Aspects Based on the Global Case Studies
4. Results for Analyzing Social Sustainability Attainment in the Two Pioneering Vertical Public Housing Projects in the UAE
4.1. Diba Al Hosn Project in Sharjah
4.2. Al Ghurfa High-Rise Social Housing Project in Al Fujairah
5. Discussion
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Social Sustainability Aspects | Description |
---|---|
Functional mixed-use | Functional mixed-use is an essential option for achieving social sustainability by incorporating a combination of housing, commercial zones, and residential areas in the same location. |
Social interaction | Social interaction plays a significant role in residents’ daily lives, well-being, and happiness. |
Accessibility | In vertical housing, accessibility should be prioritized to ensure easy access to shared facilities such as shops, public spaces, car parking, and sports facilities. |
Security | Security measures in multi-family housing should include a lobby concierge, a monitoring CCTV camera system, and access control. |
Privacy | When designing multi-family housing, privacy should be considered for both the individual apartment units and the overall project, incorporating private zones, semi-private zones, and public spaces. |
High quality of living environment | This can be achieved through access to daylight and ventilation, the inclusion of shrubs and trees, and the use of sustainable materials. |
User needs | The design should prioritize meeting the users’ satisfaction by considering the importance of their needs. |
Residents’ involvement in the design | Residents’ participation in the design process is crucial to achieving sustainable housing, and technologies such as virtual reality can be utilized to involve the residents effectively. |
Social Sustainability Aspects | Trudo Vertical Forest Housing in the Netherlands (Stefano Boeri Architetti 2023) | TR Hamzah and Yeang’s Approach, “City-in-the-Sky in London, UK” (Yeang 2007) | Eight-House Bow-Shaped Building in Denmark (Gonchar 2011) | LA SERRE D’ISSY Residential Housing in France (MVRDV|La Serre 2017) |
Functional mixed-use | A residential tower with mixed-use on the ground and first floor, combining residential and commercial spaces. | A mixed-use development featuring a variety of apartment types. | Different types of housing units with commercial units on the ground floor. | A variety of residential units with a commercial zone on the ground floor. |
Social interaction | Vertical forests: Each apartment is equipped with a balcony, allowing residents to experience the feeling of living in a house. | The ground floor features open spaces with public facilities, along with landscaped areas within each residential tower. | The design includes two courtyards in the center, arranged in a bowtie shape, to foster increased social interaction among residents. | Gardens and terraces are incorporated among the residential apartment floors, enhancing social life and leisure opportunities. |
Accessibility | Easy access to public spaces and proximity to the city center. | Direct connection to open spaces on every floor and proximity to the commercial zone in the city. | Open ramp for easy access to the townhouses and penthouses, and it is situated near the lake. | Open staircases connecting each floor to encourage residents to socialize with each other within the building. |
Security | The entrance lobby features a 24 h concierge and CCTV camera system. | Each residential tower has a 24 h concierge in the lobby entrance. | The residential units have a private entrance and CCTV camera system. | The entrance lobby offers a 24 h concierge service and is equipped with a CCTV camera system. |
Privacy | The residential tower has a private entrance, and each apartment features a balcony with shrubs and trees. | The design includes a range of spatial public open spaces, progressing from parks in the sky, to semi-private parks, and finally to private open spaces on the balconies of each apartment. | Two interior courtyards have been incorporated to enhance privacy for the residents. | A vegetation structure covers the entire building block, further increasing privacy for the residents. |
High quality of living environment | Natural ventilation is achieved through the presence of shrubs and trees on the vertical forest balcony. | A healthy landscaped environment is created on balconies, promoting natural ventilation and natural lighting. | The residential units are designed with two interior courtyards and roof gardens, allowing for the entry of natural light and air. | The entire block is covered with a vegetation structure, creating a natural atmosphere for the residents. |
User needs | Each apartment is equipped with a vertical forest balcony, allowing residents to feel connected with nature. | Every apartment features a garden balcony, providing residents with a connection to nature. | The housing development offers a variety of housing units, including apartments, penthouses, and townhouses. | Each floor of the residential apartments has terraces and gardens, providing space for planting and leisure activities. |
Social Sustainability Aspects | Yew Tee’s Vertical Kampung Housing in Singapore (Lin 2021) | Baiziwan Social Housing in China (Iype 2022) | Meir Lobaton + Kristjan Donaldson—Residential in Mexico (Cilento 2009) | Linked Hybrid in Beijing, China (Wilkinson 2016) |
Functional mixed-use | The residential block and commercial block include a community plaza, retail shops, and an outdoor public area. | Different types of apartment units are available, and the street level includes a range of commercial units. | The residential tower has a single apartment with a private garden on every floor. | The mixed-use complex consists of residential units, a commercial zone, and green open spaces. |
Social interaction | The development features gardens on multiple levels, children’s playgrounds, and a commercial zone. | The first level of the project includes floating gardens and open spaces specifically designed for the residents. | Each apartment is equipped with a residential garden, creating a social area for family members to enjoy. | The project also includes open public spaces such as parks, sitting areas, and fountains, providing opportunities for social interaction. |
Accessibility | Common corridors and open staircases encourage residents to socialize with each other. | A pedestrian circuit around all blocks enhances connectivity and connects the neighborhood with the city. | The residential block is situated close to public spaces and the city. | Sky bridges are located between upper floors, allowing residents to walk around the complex. |
Security | Each tower has a 24 h concierge in the entrance and a CCTV camera system. | There is a 24 h concierge in each tower’s lobby and a CCTV camera system. | There is a CCTV camera system in place. | Each tower’s lobby features a 24 h concierge service. |
Privacy | Each tower has a private entrance and elevators. | Each tower has a private entrance with landscaped areas and open spaces exclusively for residents. | Each floor has a single apartment with a private garden for family members. | There are well-defined private residential blocks and public-use zones. |
High quality of living environment | The building incorporates multiple levels of gardens and utilizes sustainable materials to lower energy consumption. | The first floor features landscaped parks, while trees are planted on the ground floor, making use of sustainable materials. | Each apartment is equipped with a private garden, allowing for natural lighting and ventilation through the windows. | The complex boasts landscaped parks, lakes, and natural ventilation facilitated by the open central court. |
User needs | Designed according to the users’ needs, such as a residential block with a commercial block, gardens, and green open spaces. | Designed with a communal outdoor landscape for residents on the first floor and a shopping street on the ground floor. | Each apartment is equipped with a garden, allowing residents to feel connected with nature and providing an attractive area for family members. | Designed to meet the users’ needs, including a commercial zone, residential units, and educational and recreational facilities in one place. |
Social Sustainability Aspects | Diba Al Hosn Project in Sharjah | Al Ghurfa High-Rise Social Housing in Al Fujairah |
---|---|---|
Mixed-use | The ground floor contains parking, an entrance lobby, shops, and services | It does not have any mixed-use areas; it solely consists of parking, an entrance lobby, and services. |
Social interaction | There is no social interaction in the four towers. | This vertical housing does not promote social interaction. |
Accessibility | It is located on an island, and there is no accessibility to the surrounding areas. | It is situated in a residential district without any accessibility. |
Security | The main entrance lobby has a CCTV camera system and 24 h concierges for each tower. | The main entrance lobby is equipped with a CCTV camera system and has 24 h concierges for each tower. |
Privacy | This project is designed according to the privacy of Emirati families. | This project is designed with the privacy of Emirati families in mind. Additionally, each floor has one apartment. |
High quality of living environment | There are no gardens or natural materials to enhance the quality of the living environment. | There are no trees or natural elements incorporated to improve the living environment’s quality. |
User needs | This vertical housing is composed of three separate zones in each apartment. | This multi-family public housing is composed of three separate levels in each house. |
Community involvement in the design | Emirati residents have not participated in the design of this vertical housing. | Emirati residents have not participated in the design of this project. |
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Share and Cite
M.Shareef, O.S.; Galal Ahmed, K. From Single- to Multi-Family Public Housing: Analyzing Social Sustainability Aspects of Recent Designs in the UAE. Soc. Sci. 2023, 12, 513. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12090513
M.Shareef OS, Galal Ahmed K. From Single- to Multi-Family Public Housing: Analyzing Social Sustainability Aspects of Recent Designs in the UAE. Social Sciences. 2023; 12(9):513. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12090513
Chicago/Turabian StyleM.Shareef, Omar Sherzad, and Khaled Galal Ahmed. 2023. "From Single- to Multi-Family Public Housing: Analyzing Social Sustainability Aspects of Recent Designs in the UAE" Social Sciences 12, no. 9: 513. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12090513
APA StyleM.Shareef, O. S., & Galal Ahmed, K. (2023). From Single- to Multi-Family Public Housing: Analyzing Social Sustainability Aspects of Recent Designs in the UAE. Social Sciences, 12(9), 513. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12090513