A post-occupancy evaluation study of a mixed-income gated community in Cibubur, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Gated communities (GCs) have been demonized as a malicious form of urban segregation because they provide a secure neighbourhood and exclusive facilities. The objective of the Indonesian government policy related to balanced housing is to create mixed-income housing in order to foster interaction between social classes in neighbourhoods and reduce the alarming social gap. This study seeks to validate the occurrence of social interaction among different economic strata in a mixed-income GC. To understand social interaction among its residents, the reasons why residents from different economic strata selected their housing are examined. The research methodology includes a post-occupancy evaluation in a mixed-income GC in Cibubur, West Java, Indonesia, an area known for its high quality neighbourhoods and facilities. This study identifies security as a major housing preference factor for many people living in a mixed-income GC. However, the reduced exclusivity of such facilities decreases their usage frequency, giving rise to trans-cluster social interaction within the same class. This finding contradicts the objective of the balanced housing policy because the residents interact with others in a similar social class beyond the segregated walls of the housing clusters.