Fostering a Sense of Belonging Among Neighborhoods Through a Virtual Community
摘要
Neighbors interact with one another in a different way now than before. Due to the fast-paced, solitary nature of modern living, there has been a severe impact on one’s sense of community affiliation and belonging. Our understanding of what constitutes an urban area has evolved, and with it, so has our demand for actual locations that foster community. Therefore, this paper aims at proposing a virtual neighborhood that draws people closer to one another and restores the lost sense of location, community, and unity. A qualitative study has been conducted to study the user needs and constraints for a neighborhood. A prototype of a virtual community website was developed for residents of the selected neighborhood in which residents registered and began to actively engage with each other, thus being a platform that brings back a sense of community among them.