The concept of sustainable development in residential areas in Romania is usually seen as a technical issue, implemented using specific technologies and materials. The current paper addresses the human side of building sustainable residential areas and neighbourhoods by focusing on the impact of urban form on the quality of urban life. From politicians to entrepreneurs, from housing rights activists to real estate agents, quality of life is used as an argument to promote city projects. Although different fields do not define it directly, each one has its own understanding of the concept. The different definitions and understandings have implications for measuring the quality of life. This paper presents a review of the national and international scientific literature dealing with the concept of quality of life, starting from its sociological definition and offending with its urban planning understanding. The underlying hypothesis is that urban form can directly impact the quality of life. This understanding of the concept from an urban design perspective can be used to contribute to the analysis and definition of quality of life. Based on the scientific literature, quality of life is a multidimensional index consisting, from an urban planning perspective, of the quality of urban life. This sub-concept can be used in designing residential areas and neighbourhoods that do not only achieve specific technical and economic objectives, but also address social issues. Currently, in the Romanian media and cultural discourse, the success of urban developments is measured mainly by achieving economic goals for private investors. However, internationally in addition to the economic issues, the urban positivist discourse considers cities and implicitly residential areas as a solution to the current economic, social, and environmental crises. Taking this context into account, urban quality of life can facilitate the design and development of sustainable residential areas and neighbourhoods in Romania by incorporating the concept in urban planning regulations. This paper is part of the PhD research titled "Improving urban regulations in order to increase the quality of life in residential areas in Romania" under the supervision of Professor Architect Adrian Iancu, PhD, within the Doctoral School of Urban Planning at “Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest, Romania.