ABSTRACT
At the end of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first century, the urban landscape faced a rapid and dramatic increase in Gated Communities (GCs) in most of the cities around the world. As part of the trend in suburbanisation, such changes in the urban environment are often due to change in lifestyles, which is an important factor in urban identity. This paper represents the ways GCs are identified and defined in Egypt, and focuses on identifying the main lifestyle factors influencing their urban identity. These factors should be taken into account by planners, designers and policymakers to minimise negative impacts and maximise positive consequences. The findings confirm that GCs of Egypt have special lifestyle characteristics. The paper makes some suggestions for strengthening and sustaining the remaining urban identity of gated community features that are likely to be part of the urban landscape for a long time.
