Andre´s Duany proposes a neighbourhood typology (or transect) consisting of different neighbourhood models (or sectors). The thing that distinguishes one sector from another is, essentially, its appearance. Residents, however, value appearance less for its intrinsic qualities that for its social implications. Duany's transect facilitates the creation of distinctively different compositions. Residents, on the other hand, look for distinctively different residential experiences. The paper describes an alternative typology, one where the sectors are distinguished by both physical and social features, and which, research has shown, represents differences that are significant to residents and that affect residential choice.