Promoting Neighbourly Interactions by the Common Use of Green Spaces
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Date
2006
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Abstract
"The paper aims at discussing physical and organisational preconditions for the promotion of neighbourly interactions in residential environments. These interactions decide whether neighbourly relationships are predominantly perceived as pleasant or rather conflictual. Based on an interview study and two participation processes, the paper analyses the residential environments' function of promoting neighbourly interaction. In this context, it investigates chances and risks of physical and organisational frameworks regarding participation in redesign, common use and care-taking of green spaces in German Post War housing estates. As common pool resources, these spaces offer several forms of use, although noisy and vivid activities are generally not welcome. Moreover, designed and maintained by professionals, participation in shaping ones own living environment as well as common care-taking by residents is rather unusual. However, good practice examples show that creating opportunities for common use, participating in the environments design and care-taking may not only create accepted spaces for neighbourly interaction, but also directly stimulate neighbourly relationships. Summarizing, an accepted and liveable environment must not only offer physical facilities, but needs adequate institutional arrangements for their use and has to meet the residents interests."
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neighborhoods, citizen participatory management, property rights, tragedy of the commons, rules