Sustainable design is emerging as an increasingly important concern for the global urban population. Usually sustainable design is associated with economic, ecological and social aspects with the importance of the physical environment often ignored, particularly in the social sciences. However, the physical and social dimensions should be inseparable in the sustainable development agenda. Increasingly, urban designers are emphasizing the link between physical design and sense of community in public open spaces, but there is limited research on the importance of residential streets and associated semi-open public spaces, such as verges, and private spaces, like the front yard. Using the case study method, including observation and a survey in the suburb of Subiaco in Perth, Western Australia, this article explores the significance of residential streets and the space typology of front yards in comparison to other outdoor open space types. The analysis of the front yard's contribution to the street and community can inform designers, developers, planners, policy makers and residents to achieve a more attractive inner city living environment.

With physical and social aspects being inseparable within urban environments, design for sustainability needs to include the link between the distance and sense of community. However, only a few studies examine residential suburbs and specifically focus on the physical and social interactions occurring within the streets and adjacent to them spaces, such as verges, sidewalks and front yards. Using a case study method, including observation and a perception-based survey in the inner-city suburb of Subiaco in Perth, Western Australia, this investigation opens up a new understanding of physical distance and social interaction. It develops a novel typology of physical distances and social closeness within a residential neighbourhood which allows better conceptualising the sense of community for achieving integrated sustainability.

The residential built form, including open space, provides the physical environment for social interaction. Understanding urban open space, including semi-public and public domains, through the lens of physical accessibility and visual permeability can potentially facilitate the building of a sense of community contributing to a better quality of life. Using an inner-city suburb in Perth, Western Australia as a case study, this research explores the importance of physical accessibility patterns and visual permeability for socialising in semi-public and public domains, such as the front yard and the residential streets. It argues that maintaining a balance between public and private inter-relationship in inner city residential neighbourhoods is important for creating and maintaining a sense of community.

The residential built form, including open space, provides the physical environment for social interaction. Understanding urban open space, including semi-public and public domains, through the lens of physical accessibility and visual permeability can potentially facilitate the building of a sense of community contributing to a better quality of life. Using an inner-city suburb in Perth, Western Australia as a case study, this research explores the importance of physical accessibility patterns and visual permeability for socialising in semi-public and public domains, such as the front yard and the residential streets. It argues that maintaining a balance between public and private inter-relationship in inner city residential neighbourhoods is important for creating and maintaining a sense of community.