The “Hothouse Community” and Its Implications for Older Age Residents

Abstract

ABSTRACT Applying a qualitative methodology, this research suggested that Master Planned Community (MPC) developments play a core role, as a place, in creating opportunities to establish social ties for older people, whereas social life in conventional suburbs is interest-based. The research found that safety and community in MPCs were initially delivered as pre-fabricated commodities, as a result of the exclusive infrastructure embedded within the developments. Commodification of social life, in particular, inscribed degrees of feelings of separation in the physical and social landscapes of the study areas, which was a key research finding that informs future master planning policies and practices.