I’ve lived in the same building for 25 years. Once upon a time, I knew who most of my neighbours were. Today I can’t tell who’s who. Why am I telling you this? Home is a word that has many definitions. To some it’s a place, to some it’s a person and to others it’s a feeling. I want to look at the home as a physical concept and the role that neighbours play.

我花了很多时间分析这个我称之为家的地方。我写了一首诗，描述了我在庄园中间空间行走的经历。我写过一篇论文，研究从事犯罪活动的居民和没有从事犯罪活动的居民的领土态度。这项研究的灵感来自于我在伦敦一处政府地产的生活经历。随着犯罪率的上升，我很好奇，觉得有必要进一步调查这件事。

Over the years, my concerns have grown for my safety in the space I call home. From the living spaces that exist behind the constraints of my front door to the boundaries that exist beyond. The communal spaces – the landing that I share with three of my neighbours, the staircase and the lifts. To the green outdoor areas which, while sounding promising, are mostly uninspiring stretches of grass. The consideration that these spaces are also part of what I call “home” leads on to the question, “So why is community important?” Oscar Newman – architect and theorist – with his concept of defensible space explained the beneficial characteristics of a community in reducing criminal activity.

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