The role of satisfaction and sense of community in women's perceptions of the built environment and community wellbeing in residential apartment complexes

This study examines how women's perceptions of the built environment shape satisfaction, sense of community (SOC), and community wellbeing in three residential apartment complexes in Shiraz, Iran. A cross-sectional survey of women, conducted between August and November 2022, yielded 287 valid responses. Four environmental factors (security, environmental and visual comfort, accessibility and permeability, and cleanliness and sanitation) were modeled as antecedents to satisfaction; satisfaction then predicted SOC, which in turn related to two dimensions of community wellbeing (healthy practices and proficient leadership). Using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with bootstrapping, all built environment factors were found to significantly enhance satisfaction, with security exerting the strongest effect, followed by environmental/visual comfort, cleanliness, and accessibility/permeability, which showed a smaller yet significant influence. Satisfaction strongly predicted SOC, and SOC had the largest total effects on both community wellbeing outcomes. These findings extend environment–satisfaction–SOC models by highlighting threshold conditions, especially security and comfort, in a patriarchal context: meeting essential safety and comfort needs not only elevates individual satisfaction but also enables stronger social ties and more favorable assessments of collective practices and leadership. The results refine feminist urban theory by showing that where cultural norms constrain women's mobility, satisfaction functions as a gatekeeper for SOC and community wellbeing. The paper bridges urban design, social-psychological, and feminist perspectives, indicating that gender-sensitive improvements to apartment complexes, paired with inclusive management, can catalyze social cohesion and more responsive local governance. • Security and comfort are the strongest drivers of women's satisfaction. • Cleanliness supports satisfaction; access matters once safety is assured. • Satisfaction strongly predicts sense of community (SOC). • SOC relates to healthy practices and perceived proficient leadership. • Gender-sensitive upgrades meeting safety/comfort thresholds boost participation.