A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF RESIDENTIAL SATISFACTION IN GATED COMMUNITIES - A CASE STUDY OF IT CORRIDOR, CHENNAI

The aim of this paper is to appraise the residential satisfaction by adopting a qualitative approach. One of the most frequent methods adopted to evaluate housing projects is the post occupancy evaluation. This evaluation is based on the user perspective. Majority of the residential satisfaction studies aim at identifying the various satisfaction criteria, but very little effort goes into identifying the underlying causes for the dissatisfaction. This paper adopted a qualitative approach towards appraising the residential satisfaction in gated communities in the IT Corridor of Chennai, India. The residents expressed satisfaction with the spatial layout and space adequacy within the dwelling unit along with safety and security. But absence of sun shading devices, location of outdoor seating and common recreational amenities were the issues raised by the end- users of these gated communities. These results highlight the need to understand the behaviour and usage patter of the users while focusing on the site planning of these gated communities.