THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL-PHYSICAL FACTORS ON PUBLIC HOUSING TRANSFORMATION IN TRIPOLI

Abstract

Researchers have acknowledged that physical surroundings are a concrete manifestation of spatial organisation. Its arrangement outlines spatial relationship of social activity networks within housing units. In Libya, cities display minimal sensitivity to socio-physical attributes which affect public housing transformation. In order to focus on users’ transformations experience and emphasis on socio-physical environment influence. Public housing dwellers are surveyed to determine the socio-physical impact on housing transformations initiatives. The aim of this study is to develop a socio-physical responsive design framework for public housing projects based on user-initiated transformation experience. A survey is carried out among 304 households in twelve public housings areas in western Libya to evaluate users’ experience on the socio-physical model of housing transformation.  Public housing such as neighbourhood influence, technology, plot size and quality of urban living standards are investigated using a questionnaire and analysed using SEM (AMOS). The findings revealed that socio-physical constituents have influence on housing transformation decisions made by house owners. It contributes to a housing design which respects both the users requirements and provide a healthy urban development at the same time.