Socialising in the suburbs: the impact of neighbourhood design on social interaction in low-density housing contexts

This study investigated the impact of the provision of different neighbourhood design characteristics on social interaction and its correlates in low density Australian suburbs. The findings show that physical design characteristics significantly predicted social interaction correlates, even allowing for the interaction of sociodemographic variables. Neighbourhood characteristics such as open spaces, street type, and tree coverage were the most powerful predictors; indicating that well-planned neighbourhoods are more satisfying places to live for residents. The findings suggest that the physical design characteristics of suburban neighbourhoods can have a significant impact on social interaction through residential satisfaction.