Are suburbs perceived as rural villages? Landscape-related residential preferences in Switzerland

Abstract

The current land use planning discourse in Switzerland highlights the need for urban redensification and the limitation of sprawl. However, little is known of the population's residential choice and preference related to urban or rural surroundings and how sub- and peri-urban residential environments are judged. We therefore analyse preferred and perceived residence, focusing on the urban-rural dimension and related urban-rural residential preference to landscape features, amenities, and the availability of public services in the immediate living environment, controlling for socio-economic, lifestyle, and life stage characteristics.The analyses of a 2014 representative online survey (N=1208) show that a majority of the population prefers living in “rural villages”, even though, from a more functional point of view, most of the places in which these people live could be considered suburbs at the fringes of metropolitan regions. “Suburbs”, however, are among the least preferred residential environments. Moreover, an additional expert survey (N=53) reveals a discrepancy between planning professionals and the population: experts in the fields of urban planning, nature conservancy, and monument preservation show a higher urban preference. The findings of our analyses are discussed in light of the literature on landscape and residential preferences and lead to conclusions regarding spatial planning practice.