Evaluating the impact of mass housings’ in-between spaces’ spatial configuration on users’ social interaction

Abstract

This research examines the impact of in-between space configuration on users’ social practices. The effects of different degrees of permeability of these spaces on the social interactions of the inhabitants are also analyzed. This research is based on a comparative approach using space syntax analysis and snapshot observations on four mass housing neighborhoods in Setif, Algeria. The neighborhoods are selected according to their degree of permeability, location in the city, realization period, and syntax measures from integrated to segregated. The activity patterns of two-week days for each study case are observed and recorded. Correlation results of observed social activities and syntactic measures demonstrate that spatial configuration affects people’s use of in-between spaces. Moreover, connectivity and clustering coefficients are revealed to be important indicators of social activities. Previous urban studies argued that integrated spaces are mostly used by people. However, social interaction in the studied cases increases in the least connected areas, adjoining spaces to the buildings, and most closed spaces. This research finds that social activities are dependent on the degree of permeability, which when low, gives rise to increased social interaction and activities.

Key words： In-between spaces; Social interaction; Degree of permeability; Space syntax; Snapshot observation