An apartment/ gated community is a social-ecological system. The residents of the community share their daily activities in a specially developed facility.

How does physical design promote community living?

The physical design influences social interaction and creates a safe and secure atmosphere for the residents to interact.

The aspects that affect these social interactions are:

• Well-maintained common areas.
• Open spaces in the building.
• Excellent amenities.
• Round-the-clock surveillance in the community.
• Centrally-located common amenities encourage residents to use it more often.

EIPL feels that the physical design influences interaction among the residents. And, social interaction is one of the critical aspects of community living.

Therefore, EIPL designs its amenities where the residents enjoy every moment they spend here.

The clubhouse brings people together to socialise, play and celebrate festivals. The gym area, meditation centre, swimming pool, indoor courts for table tennis, snooker, and chess, tennis and basketball court helps you workout to improve your physical fitness.

Your children can play in the parks, and your parents and elders in the family can walk, jog or catch up with friends in the landscaped gardens. There are exclusive seating areas with water fountains, and greenery all around. There is 24/7 security with intercom and CC cameras inside the building.

How does social interaction help build communities?

Most of the residential buildings are designed to include common amenities in apartments, villas, and gated communities. The amenities such as clubhouse, gym, play area, outdoor courts, indoor courts, and so on are constructed in these houses.

The advantages of the constructing the amenities are as follows:

• They are useful.
• They are convenient.
• They bring joy and cheer in the lives of young and old people alike.
• They improve the physical health of the residents as they are more likely to exercise in a safe environment.
•  Promote social interaction among residents.
• They are social spaces and areas for recreation and celebrate cultural events.
• Create and promote a stress-free environment for the residents.
• The open spaces or urban green spaces benefit the environment.  It reduces air, water and noise pollution.
• The gardens and green open spaces reduce energy costs of cooling buildings.

These amenities must be designed keeping in mind the needs of all the people living in the apartment, whether they are young or old.

Due to increasing urbanisation, the number of parks in the neighbourhood has reduced. Therefore, the presence of children play area and walking and jogging track within the building encourages the residents to be active.

There are many festivals such as Ganesh Chathurti, Holi, Dasara, Diwali, Christmas, New Year, and so on. The festivities and celebration bring the residents together and create a joyful environment.

The nuclear families living in cities can’t always visit their extended families, parents, and relatives during festivals. A community that is vibrant and active ensures that they don’t miss their relatives and family during celebrations.

The events organized in community spaces encourage the children to sing, dance, perform and entertain people. It could be their first stage performance and a place where they can hone their performance skills.

The gated communities have jogging track, gym, meditation and activity hall, outdoor courts to play tennis, basketball, volleyball, and indoor courts to play badminton, squash, and so on. Most of the apartments also have swimming pools. Leading an active life and exercising helps residents improve their health and well-being.

The activity and hobby centres within the building encourage the residents to be active and pursue a hobby too. There are various activities that the kids can learn due to the availability of resources and coaches.

If you like outdoors, then the gardens and open spaces take you to a place far away from the pollution and noise.

The elders in your family will also enjoy the stroll in the garden that improves their physical and mental health. They live a calm and relaxed retired life. They make new friends and feel safe in an environment that is clean and green. Most of the apartments provide spaces for elders to rest such as seating areas.

Therefore, the apartments are designed with more open spaces.

How can you increase the community engagement in an apartment or villa or a gated community?

The following activities improve community engagement:

• After school activities - The children learn to play basketball, tennis, badminton, cricket or hobby such as drawing, painting or life skills such as swimming, cooking, baking, and so on.
• Health camps - The society organizes regular health camps to conduct medical tests and wellness camps such as yoga and meditation camps for people of all ages.
• Sale and exhibitions in the community hall - The community hall is used to display items such as clothes, books,  gifts, candles, and so on.
• Cultural celebrations - The cultural celebrations bring all the residents under one roof to experience and enjoy festivals, and important occasions.
• Take up a hobby - You can even start a hobby class for the other residents and kids in your apartment.

EIPL constructs apartments and villas with large open spaces. They provide top-class amenities to the residents. Their projects are designed to promote social interaction and create communities. Find out more about EIPL projects here Skyila apartment in Puppalaguda, Apila apartment in Kokapet, Rivera apartment in Narsingi, and La Paloma villas in Mokila.

By: Lotus Tech