Urban Social Mapping should be an integral part of the monitoring and evaluation of urban regeneration projects. This refers to the collection of a range of data types capturing changes in social processes, to feed into better decision-making. As the CLEVER Cities project focused on documenting changes in social dynamics, cohesion and health with respect to NbS interventions, it serves as a useful case study for demonstrating how social mapping can enrich our understanding of social and spatial inter-relationships. 

The following video is a short presentation of seven mapping techniques that help document social dynamics in urban spaces, representing only a small sample of the many possible techniques available. These techniques can help us to understand how people are using public spaces both before and after NbS are implemented. They can also help capture data on the physical characteristics of urban areas, including spatial proportions, the distribution of public equipment and the impact of shading and plants on comfort that can help or hinder informal social contact. 

The importance of this type of mapping lies in its focus on the way design solutions affect human interactions which are, in turn, at the root of social cohesion. By documenting the way interventions induce or dissuade spatial relationships, it is possible to generate data that helps inform decisions about the future cycles of design and management, ensuring that urban spaces are more attractive, livable, and sustainable.

From Gehl, J., & Svarre, B. (2013). How to study public life.