"Where you live is who you are"

Bewachte Wohnkomplexe in Metro Manila

Abstract

Gated communities are perceived as one of the fastest-growing segments in the private property sector worldwide and have recently become a major focus of research in urban studies. Gated communities have been part of Metro Manila’s cityscape for several decades. Initially a symbol of upper-class wealth and power, they were gradually adopted by the middle classes and are now a central part of their modern lifestyle in many countries. Starting from contemporary debates on gated communities, this article attempts to show that the success of this form of built environment is not a single-cause phenomenon, but is linked to a series of local and global factors.