Side Setback Areas in Residential Zones in Japan – A Socio-psychological Approach Towards Studying Setbacks, Case Study of an Inner Osaka Neighborhood

Abstract

This paper presents a study of utilization and perceptions towards side setback areas as an important but often overlooked urban space. Side setback areas, which are mutual distances between adjoining buildings in a high density, inner-urban, residential area of Osaka, Japan were selected for study. Volunteers were interviewed in the Kita Nakamichi area to investigate the physical attributes of their side setback areas and their frequency of usage. There was little impression of side setback areas or windows opening towards them. They are seen only as mere left out spaces between the building and boundaries; however, the respondents did not have concerns about security. On the subject of utilization of the side setback areas, activities such as storage and gardening were noted, as these places were seen as abandoned spaces but subject to considerable maintenance, and were suggested by a significant number of the respondents as good places for parking places, storing items and drying clothes due to receiving good light and ventilation. When asked about their preference for making contact with fellow neighbours via their side facades, respondents unanimously reported that they prefer to undertake social interaction at their front door and those accidental contacts are not favoured.

Keywords

• side setback
• morphology
• high density neighborhood
• residential perception