Housing, Space and Quality of Life: Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book shows that the work of thirty-five researchers concerned with the relationship between housing, space and quality of life, in the context of the physical, psychological and social aspects of urban life. The home is clearly a crucial aspect of the study of housing and space. The concept of home represents the essence of the housing experience. The book addresses facets of the home in some different cultures, and its relationship to evaluations of quality of life and lifestyle. It examines the issues in the case of student preferences for university accommodation. The book focuses on preferences for architectural properties and assesses preferences for different cladding materials on houses. It also examines a large residential area in Istanbul, and the problems related to security as a consequence of the spatial and social characteristics of the urban area.