Assessing the Quality of Open Spaces in Mass Housing Projects: The Case of Alexandria

Abstract

Rising population numbers across the globe are putting pressure on the housing supply, which is leading governments to resort to social housing. However, the governments of developing countries are more prone to address pressing shortages through standardized mass housing projects, which results in significant mismatches between the attributes of the housing and the needs of the residents. The evaluation of open spaces is a topical research approach, and open spaces are significantly responsible for the quality of mass housing projects. However, years after their construction, it may be seen how their selected urban form has led to very different living situations. A comparison of the quality of open spaces is made possible by identifying a typology for the urban form selected for each project. In this research, we will assess the quality of open spaces in mass housing projects based on the spatial configuration of the project on the urban scale. Identifying a typology of the urban form adopted by similar-scale mass housing projects will guide the evaluation of the open spaces in each project. The physical attributes of the open spaces are the focus of the assessment. The simultaneous analysis of all the physical attributes permits a final assessment of each mass housing project’s open spaces quality.