Designed for life: A prospective cohort study examining the relationship between apartment design and residential stability

The construction of apartments is a key strategy to improve urban sustainability and address housing shortages. However, in Australia and elsewhere, apartments are typically viewed as temporary housing for specific life stages, with apartment residents more likely to relocate than those living in houses. This prospective cohort study examined whether apartment design attributes contributed to residential stability. Residents ( n = 212) in apartment complexes ( n = 115) from three Australian cities completed a survey on apartment design (2017–2019) and a follow-up survey (2024) about whether they still lived in their apartment. Building plans were screened to extract data on apartment design attributes. Pearson's chi-squared tests compared movers and stayers' apartments, and logistic regression models examined whether baseline apartment design predicted being a stayer at follow-up. Baseline perceptions of natural ventilation, winter thermal comfort, adequate parking and communal area quality, and objective measures of floor level, apartment size, and external storage were positively associated with being a stayer (all p < 0.05). Most associations attenuated after adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics, although floor level ( p < 0.01) and building storeys ( p < 0.001) remained significant. Residents were more likely to stay in higher quality apartments; however, this was largely explained by the capacity of mid-age adults and homeowners to self-select into better quality apartments. The study provides longitudinal evidence linking apartment design attributes to residential stability. However, it also raises questions about whether many contemporary apartments in Australia are designed to be suitable longer-term homes. Policies and processes that improve design quality could help reframe apartments as an appealing longer-term housing option. • Apartments are key to addressing housing shortages but viewed as shorter-term housing. • Prospective cohort study examined the apartment design predictors of being a ‘stayer’. • Stayers' apartments provided better access to light, ventilation, space and amenity. • Age and tenure explained most associations between good design and resident retention. • Many new apartments may lack the design quality needed to retain long-term residents.