Access to public open spaces is supposed to be equitably distributed to all city inhabitants, especially in predominantly residential areas. If public open spaces are urban features that help to improve the social development of an area, then, why in big metropolises such as Mexico City the access to public space is many times perceived as a privilege instead of a right? Through space syntax spatial analyses, land use analyses, and the potential radius of influence specific public open spaces might have according to their size; this study investigates the diverse accessibility characteristics different public open spaces have.

« This dissertation examines whether participatory projects, notably those involving children, in urban areas in Lebanon can help improve refugee children’s wellbeing, including by enhancing social cohesion between diverse residents. Drawing from urban studies, child psychology, and other literature, it outlines Syrian refugee children’s circumstances in Lebanese urban areas, and the risks and protective factors they face as a result of their experiences. Centred around urban space, its theoretical framework links concepts of spatial justice, environmental child psychology/socio-ecological models, and social cohesion. Fundamental to its overarching exploration, it adopts a relational and psychosocial definition of wellbeing, which also recognises children’s unique characteristics and experiences. It considers practical evidence for its exploration in two projects in Lebanon, after briefly looking at children’s reimagining of urban areas outside of formal processes. It concludes that there is strong evidence that, when processes are meaningful and address participants’ priorities, as well as successfully engage local authorities, they have significant potential to contribute to children’s wellbeing and improve prospects for social cohesion. The challenge is in creating genuinely inclusive processes that have multiplying, lasting effects – i.e. that they can serve as the ‘glue’ that binds residents in pursuit of the urban commons – and that trigger ongoing, collective actions by a cross-section of residents, which can convince strategic, powerful stakeholders of their importance. Given the acute crisis Lebanon faces, such processes remain more important than ever, while remaining sensitive to the socio-political and economic realities affecting millions across the country.

For a city to be truly shared, it should aim to cultivate social cohesion amongst its various communities. Thus, it cannot neglect the issue of spatial segregation, but should, instead, encourage community members to willingly and freely cooperate and engage with one another, in spite of their differences, in order to achieve a sense of unity and belonging. However, there are cities that have, throughout history, witnessed daily practices of segregation and the spatialization of identities - which has led to the creation of divorced societies. Reinforcing the idea of identities and belonging to a certain community that should not engage with ‘others,’ has resulted in the creation of ‘imagined’ boundaries. Those boundaries, which spatially and distinctly exist in the deeply divided and territorialized city of Beirut, inhibit exchange and render its societies disengaged and divorced from each other. This research conceptualizes the aforementioned problem. It uses literature to outline the importance of cultivating social cohesion and how urban acupuncture can be used in nudging those divides through the implementation of design interventions within the city. It also draws out the required conditions for the application of this approach. As for case study reviews, they display the impact of providing multiple socially-engaging urban platforms.Through the amalgamation of academic literature and case study reviews, a practical toolkit, which puts forth design principles that aid in cultivating social cohesion, is proposed for nudging those notions of physical and 'imagined' boundaries that have taken on a spatial form. It is carried out on a network of spaces in the neighborhood of Bachoura, Beirut, to respond to the critical problem that has been fortified over the years. Design principles include creating shared spaces, fostering shared activities, promoting co-design, nudging common perceptions and overcoming physical barriers. In addition to the aforementioned, this thesis exemplifies how the practice of urban design can participate in cultural conflict resolution through the injection of inclusive and collaborative spaces within cities.

Street vending can be a survival strategy for women and the urban poor and contributes to social cohesion in Thai society. Research on the relations between street vendor and buyers in four specific site areas where are selected case studies in this dissertation has tended to focus on perspectives from vending stakeholders, which are the seller, buyer, general public and authorities, through the ‘Returning footpaths to pedestrian’ policy, 2014, in order to investigate the impact of the existence and disappearance of street vendors in Bangkok. However, there are limitations to this approach because many vendors have already been relocated and the concept of social cohesion is multi-dimensional. This study uses data from surveys, interviews and observations to explore the manifestation of street vendor-related social cohesion and socio-economic prosperity in Thai society. Quantitative data analysis methods are used to interpret and explain street vending patterns affecting its location and buyers’ behaviour in different areas. Then, to conclude, the study investigates the role of Thai high-street vendors in aspects of contributing to social cohesion and economic prosperity, on which research is limited. The results show that street vendors encourage an inclusive city where streets act as public spaces for all, including vehicles, non-motorised traffic, pedestrians and socio-economic activities (vending). Furthermore, street vending involves building social integration and co-relationships between diverse people in the community as the same fabric, and also supports the place being more vital and safe due to the opening time effects. Therefore, policy interventions need to study the street vendor role in regard to social aspects in order to retain and improve the better vending on the street in Thailand; these policies may then be applicable to global street vending.

The project explores how public spaces in shrinking cities can be re-purposed by informed strategies and design interventions. This approach has the potential to increase place attachment, inspire citizen participation and encourage flexibility in the interpretation of urban futures of these places.