Housing social spaces and its influence on social capital formation in low-income housing, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The housing deficit in Bangladesh, particularly in Dhaka, has escalated into a major crisis in recent decades. This deficit not only refers to the physical quality, quantity, or urban space discrepancies but also includes the lack of non-physical and social features in housing (Borja, 2018). In Dhaka, most of the policies and research are focused on addressing quantitative and qualitative aspects, neglecting the social and cultural dimensions. Traditional socialization practices are formed through shared communal social spaces, where spontaneous social, cultural, and domestic activities promote a cohesive environment. These social spaces in Bengali housing complexes are as significant as physical amenities, and they allow the dwellers to interact and build social capital, particularly in low-income housing where resources are limited. Considering the significance of socially significant spaces in housing settings, this research adopts the qualitative method and utilizes the lens of Lefebvre’s spatial triad to examine the impact of social spaces on social capital formation in low-income housing. It explores how housing social spaces are conceived, perceived, and lived in fostering bonding and bridging capital in the context of Dhaka. By employing a case study approach, this research collected primary data through observation techniques and conducted interviews with 25 housing dwellers, and 5 housing experts. Additionally, secondary spatial documents were also reviewed to triangulate the primary data. The research identifies that the spatial allocation of the studied housing is determined by socioeconomic factors rather than individual preferences. Despite this fact, available social spaces significantly support enhancing social engagement and community ties. Findings underpin that the perceived, lived, and conceived spaces, as the independent variable, influence the dependent variable, bonding capital to a better extent which helps the communities to come together on a daily basis. However, only lived and perceived spaces moderately influence bridging capital formation, with results showing exclusion and gender imbalance. The research found no significant impact of conceived spaces on bridging capital formation. This research underlines the importance of integrating housing social spaces that reflect lowincome communities' cultural and social practices in fostering social capital. It contributes to urban housing literature by highlighting how dwellers utilize such spaces to build supportive community networks and also advocates for urban housing development that promotes functional and socially supported environments to improve the well-being of low-income communities in Dhaka.