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Classifying elements of a typology of gated communities

Adrienne La Grange (Department of Public Policy, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong)

International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis

ISSN: 1753-8270

Article publication date: 24 April 2018

Issue publication date: 4 June 2018

544

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to classify major elements in a typology of gated communities and develop a framework that can be used to promote international comparison of this built form.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on a survey of 77 gated housing estates in Hong Kong and interviews with major stakeholders to develop and order a classification of elements of a typology of gated communities. Principle component analysis and regression analysis are used in conjunction with insights from 20 in-depth and about 70 open-ended face-to-face interviews.

Findings

This paper explores Hong Kong’s gated communities to evaluate the relationships between the four main elements of a typology of gated communities: supply, demand, features of gated estates and characteristics of built form. It is suggested that there is a hierarchical relationship between the elements, i.e. supply and demand are higher-order elements and features of gated housing and characteristics of the housing stock are lower-order elements. The paper additionally highlights the impact of definitional and conceptual drift in key concepts, such as security, privacy, prestige and lifestyle, on developing robust typologies.

Originality/value

The paper reviews the many and varied typologies of gated communities in the international literature, classifies the elements into four main groups and posits a hierarchical relationship between these elements. This paper proposes a robust methodology for further comparative research into gated communities.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by a General Research Grant of the Hong Kong University Grants Committee “A Study of Gated Communities in Hong Kong” (CityU 1442/06H). The author would like to thank the researchers who helped with data collection and the many interviewees who participated in the research for their time and patience in participating in what were often lengthy interviews.

Citation

La Grange, A. (2018), "Classifying elements of a typology of gated communities", International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 520-540. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHMA-07-2017-0065

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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