Figure 3: Similar green spaces form and location across the three typologies; rectilinear, following the property walls and predominance of a mineral outdoor space over greenery
In terms of dimensions and proportion of dedicated green space in relation to the total outdoor space, in each of the three house typologies, the surveyed green spaces vary depending on the unit, but remain modest by comparison to the paved areas( Tab. 2 & Fig. 3), indicating a dominant residents’ preference for a mineral outdoor space.
Table 2: Area and ratios of greenery in the three housing typology |
Plot Size |
Detached |
Semi-attached |
Attached |
|
400m2 |
300m2 |
240m2 |
Built |
Outdoor |
Built |
Outdoor |
Built |
Outdoor |
|
Regulatory areas
120m2
|
280m2 |
150m2 |
150m2 |
144 m2 |
96 m2 |
Initial areas
Current areas
30 % |
70 % |
|
50 % |
50 % |
|
60 % |
40 % |
|
Built |
Outdoor |
|
Built |
Outdoor |
|
Built |
Outdoor |
|
174m2 |
Paved |
Green |
150m2 |
Paved |
Green |
155m2 |
Paved |
Green |
|
153m2 |
73m2 |
|
96m2 |
52m2 |
|
57m2 |
28m2 |
42 % |
38 % |
18 % |
50 % |
32 % |
18 % |
64 % |
24 % |
12 % |
Built |
Outdoor |
|
Built |
Outdoor |
|
Built |
Outdoor |
|
Paved |
Green |
176m2 |
Paved |
Green |
161m2 |
Paved |
Green |
210m2 |
130 m2 |
60 m2 |
|
85m2 |
39m2 |
|
55m2 |
24m2 |
53 % |
32 % |
15 % |
59 % |
28 % |
13 % |
67 % |
23 % |
10 % |
The content and composition of the green spaces were evaluated in spring( April to June), a favourable season to witness the existing vegetation in full bloom. Characteristically, fruit trees and vines like plants emerge as dominant types of plant materials, followed by decorative plants. Without exception, all residents planted one or more fruit trees, the most common being lemon, then orange, apricot, pomegranate and fig tree. The trees are usually planted in large numbers at the back and side of the house for detached and semi-attached units, but few can be found at the front of the unit, with a depth of up to two trees depending on the unit front setback. The vegetable garden on the other hand is almost virtually absent, encountered in only one house out of the thirty units surveyed, and was only maintained during the fasting month of Ramadan, to provide fresh herbs. The survey showed that almost 90 % of residents prefer scattered plants to a vegetable garden regardless of their social origin as best expressed by one resident( Unit D3)“ My wife loves flowers, when we moved in this house, she insisted on having the garden filled with flowers and not vegetables. It is a little rural”( Fig. 4). This attitude is probably related to people’ s perception in the assumed dichotomy between rural and urban realms.
The green space explored in different individual housing typology, Algeria 313