Social Cohesion in Urban Public Space: A Multi-method Inquiry into Conditional and Mechanistic Pathways

Public space functions as a socio–ecological system in which spatial form, social behaviour, and psychosocial meaning continuously interact. In this view, social cohesion is an emergent condition shaped by patterned encounters, perceptions of cohesion, and the affordances of the built environment. This research integrates three complementary analytical lenses to capture this multi-layered relationship. A sequential mixed-methods design links five studies was developed: a systematic literature review (SLR) and a structured policy review (SPR) to identify theoretical and policy gaps; behavioural mapping in Sheffield to quantify spatial–temporal patterns and clustering of co-presence and marginalisation; a UK–US survey testing moderation and mediation models linking spatial features, perceptions, interaction types, and five cohesion indicators; and focus groups exploring interpretive processes and lived experiences.

Findings show that physical affordances, normative structures, identity cues, safety perceptions, and temporal rhythms form an interdependent system shaping cohesion in public space, with effects varying across contexts and demographic groups. Particularly, our segmentation strategy from behaviour mapping, grounded in hierarchical information extrapolation rather than conventional spatial syntax descriptive that assume generic users and predict only aggregate flows. This methodological approach moves beyond pattern description to uncover the interaction between spatial form, social behaviour, and psychosocial meaning.

Integrating these behavioural patterns with psychosocial modelling and qualitative interpretation produces a conditional and mechanistic account of cohesion. This research advances socio–ecological theory by empirically linking material conditions to behavioural configurations and lived experience. In practice, it delivers a replicable analytical framework for evaluating inclusivity and guiding design, management, and governance interventions that strengthen social connectedness. These insights have direct application in urban policy, public space planning, and community development, providing place-based empirical evidence base for shaping environments that foster resilient, cohesive urban communities.