Gated Communities in Shanghai

The spread of gated communities (GCs) is a significant phenomenon in many countries. A large proportion of Mainland China’s housing stock is gated to a greater or lesser extent, including enclosed courtyard housing of the pre-war era, danwei housing of the socialist era and private housing of the reform era. This project investigates gated communities in one of China’s most important cities, Shanghai. Drawing on international experience of gating housing it has three objectives: (a) to identify the extent and forms of gated communities in Shanghai; (b) to evaluate perceptions of their advantages and disadvantages; and (c) to assess the role of major stakeholders in facilitating / promoting / driving gatedness in Shanghai.In the first instance a survey of eighty housing developments will be conducted to identify the extent and forms of gatedness. Thereafter interviews will be conducted with residents of different kinds of housing estates to identify the reasons for the popularity of this form of living. Interviews with other stakeholders will provide further insights of the wider implications of gatedness. This is a companion project to one currently being undertaken in Hong Kong.