Design

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Common areas between the houses are important features that afford social activi
ties in neighborhoods.
Nevertheless, much of urban research seems to indicate that the decline of socia
l life in housing estates is closely related to
the design of their communal outdoor spaces. It is the spatial arrangement of th
e blocks that have been found to reduce the
chance of social interaction among residents and influence the activity pattern.
(Chombart de Lawe, 1952; Abu-Ghazzeh,
1999).
Chombart de lawe, PH (1952) . Paris et lagglomration parisienne, tome II, Mthodes d
e recherches pour
ltude dune grande cit, tudes comparatives des units rsidentielles, PUF, Paris, p.63
Importance of social interaction
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People interact with others through many social cues, including those determined
by facial expression, eye
contact, gesture, tone of voice, and temperament. In common
ground theory, it is suggested that people are constantly checking
these social cues to make certain they are attaining mutual
understanding. A shortage of social information will have a direct
impact on communication (Sproull & Kiesler, 1986; Preece &
Maloney-Krichmar, 2003).
Sproull, L., & Kiesler, S. (1986). Reducing social context
cues: Electronic mail in organizational communication.
Management Science, 32(11), 1492-1512.
Preece, J., & Maloney-Krichmar, D. (2003). Online
communities: Focusing on sociability and usability. In J. A.
Jacko & A. Sears (Eds.), The human-computer interaction
handbook: Fundamentals, evolving technologies and
emerging applications (pp. 596-620). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence
Erlbaum.
In addition, people determine their
reactions and attitudes toward others according to such social
nuances (Strauss, 1993).
Strauss, L. (1993). Continual permutations of action. New
York: Aldine de Gruyter.
The importance of maintaining close social bond which encompasses national unity

and integration is an important social agenda needed for a successful transforma
tion
of the Malaysian society both economically and politically.
Yin, Y. (2008). Assessing the level of unity and integration in Malaysia
using the system dynamics simulation model.
Issues
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Factors which could affect residential satisfaction, such
as defects in the physical structure of the housing,
lack of well-maintained public facilities, and poor
social and physical environment could also
adversely affect the achievement of greater social
integration.
Ahmad Hariza, H. (2003). Residential satisfaction and social in public low cost
housing in Malaysia.