Abstract
Since the mid-twentieth century, the process of modernization caused an adaptation of westernized prototypes of residential neighborhoods in Greater Cairo Region. This evolution caused a relevant evolution of various prototypes of urban spaces, an evolution from traditional neighborhoods where street works as public space to new planned neighborhoods that concerns quantitative provision of urban spaces as internal gardens. Evolution was attractive for residents who escape crowded traditional neighborhoods to enjoy better living conditions; they claimed quantitative provision of urban spaces with well-designed landscape to achieve positive social benefits. Egyptian National Organization for Urban Harmony developed urban space design guidelines, to ensure quantitative and accessibility criteria. However, observation of urban spaces in new cities revealed failure to host residents and probably have negative impacts on social inclusion, cohesion, and participation. One reason behind that failure is the lack of empirical knowledge of expected impacts of design guidelines on social behavior. This research examines the relation between social sustainability and urban space configuration in different prototypes of neighborhoods, it also questions social sustainability of NOUH2010 design guidelines. The research based on an ethnographic observation with questionnaire survey that were conducted in selected eight neighborhoods. The paper reports, based on empirical findings, that quantitative provision of urban-spaces, hierarchical distribution, merged and central location, good accessibility and well-designed landscape is short sighted to achieve social sustainability; rather qualitative criteria with mixed activities is most influential factor to encourage social inclusion, interaction and participation as byproduct of movement and as subsidiary to other attractive activities.