Against the backdrop of rapid urbanization, the housing demand of suburban rural residents is highly dynamic. Architects’ participation in rural design is an important pathway to improving residential quality, but current rural housing construction still lacks design methods that address residents’ needs. For this reason, this study proposes a KANO model synthesis method based on Grounded theory (GT-KANO model) to identify and quantify the residential function preferences of suburban rural residences. Using S Village in suburban Xi’an as a case study, this study uses the Grounded theory to identify the residential needs of 40 families from interview materials, classifies and prioritizes 161 questionnaire responses according to the KANO model, and builds a residential demand quantification model comprising five demand dimensions and four preference levels. The results show that villagers pay the most attention to the basic functions and climate adaptability of residences, followed by the convenience of life and space comfort. In contrast, they pay less attention to cultural expression and sustainable concepts. Among them, the "Must-be" attributes are concentrated in the elemental composition of the housing base orientation, residential area and courtyard setting; the "One-dimensional" attributes emphasize the daily use elements such as independent shower room, restaurant and drainage system; the “Attractive” attributes are reflected in the quality improvement factors such as lighting, insulation, safety and space beautification; the “Indifferent” attributes are more related decorative elements and green technology have a limited impact on satisfaction. This study reveals the intrinsic logical relationship between residential demand and rural housing design goals, builds a design decision-making framework of "demand attributes - design strategy - spatial response", and contributes guidance for the updated practices and policy design of suburban rural housing.
Yang et al. (2026) studied this question.