- Over the last few decades, the private residential complex has evolved and varies from one country to another depending on the specific characteristics of a each particular nation. Thus, a country"s standard of living, geographic density and topography are fundamental when trying to explain why there are more residential complexes in some areas than others. Beyond strictly economic reasons, one must consider that living away from the urban fabric often means an improvement in social status and reinforces the desire to live more peacefully. Generally, the acquisition of this type of homes simply responds to the wish to lead a more "natural" way of life. In some cases this wish is satisfied by the proximity of a protected area, though, more often than not, being able to see the dense greenery of a grove or the sparkle of the sowing fields in summer, suffices-as though man were pursuing a gradual return to the rural life of yesteryear.Another attraction of these complexes, especially in Mediterranean countries, lies in such primordial pleasures as breathing in the sea breeze from the terrace of the house or looking out over the water when getting out of bed -a significant plus in some parts of the ever more populated and industrialized world. The development of this kind of town-planning in the West-where certain concepts such as peace and privacy have triumphed as the standard of living increased, the cities grew and as the globalization process established itself-has greatly conditioned the landscape in the suburban space and has, in many cases, broken physical limits separating the towns themselves. In some cases, the introduction of residential complexes has gone hand-in-hand with the construction of new sports (golf, pitch & putt, recreational pool) or leisure (theme park, shopping mall) facilities. In other cases, the existence of alpine attractions (ski pistes, cross country skiing, hiking or other types of activity related to heights) attracts this kind of complex.