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Core Culture

Shaping the psychology of cities. Sharing the knowledge to build healthier urban futures.

CUP Core Culture

At the Centre for Urban Psychology, our core philosophy is built on four foundational pillars—People, Place, Psychology, and Design—which guide our approach to urban research, policy, and practice. These principles ensure that our work remains human-centered, evidence-based, and solution-driven, shaping cities that support mental well-being, inclusivity, and resilience.

The Human-Centered Focus

Urban psychology starts with people—their mental health, behaviour, emotions, and social interactions. We believe that understanding the lived experiences of individuals and communities is the foundation of urban development. How people experience, interact with, and shape their cities directly influences the success of urban environments in terms of livability, inclusivity, and well-being. The People aspect in our core values ensures that CUP remains dedicated to a human-first approach, emphasising equity and psychological soundness in all our urban interventions.

The Urban & Spatial Context

Urban psychology starts with people—their mental health, behaviour, emotions, and social interactions. We believe that understanding the lived experiences of individuals and communities is the foundation of urban development. How people experience, interact with, and shape their cities directly influences the success of urban environments in terms of livability, inclusivity, and well-being. The People aspect in our core values ensures that CUP remains dedicated to a human-first approach, emphasising equity and psychological soundness in all our urban interventions.

The Science Behind Human-Urban Interaction

Psychology is the intellectual foundation of CUP’s mission. We apply psychological theories and research to urban planning, social behaviour, mental health, and community dynamics. The Psychology aspect of our core values speaks to the foundational work we do in understanding how people respond to their urban environments—how they move, interact, and experience the spaces they occupy. Understanding the mind’s role in shaping urban life ensures that we can create cities that are not just places to live, but places that foster positive mental health and resilience. By integrating psychological insights, CUP bridges the gap between urban policy and human behaviour, ensuring that cities are designed to promote mental resilience, social connectivity, and sustainable well-being.

The Applied, Solution-Oriented Component

Design is the vital bridge between research and real-world solutions. It takes psychological insights and transforms them into tangible, actionable urban interventions. Urban psychology alone isn’t enough; we must implement our findings through urban design, architecture, planning, and policy. The Design component ensures that CUP isn’t just a research institution but an innovation hub, actively engaging in creating urban spaces that prioritise human well-being. By integrating psychology with design, we advance the boundaries of behavioural urbanism and human-centered urban design, ensuring that our cities are psychologically enriching. Within CUP, this translation is structured through the Human-Centred Planning System (HCPS), ensuring design insights are embedded into planning policy, governance, and delivery.

Our Core Culture and How We Work

CUP’s core culture—People, Place, Psychology, and Design—defines how we understand cities and human experience.
These principles are operationalised through the CUP Human-Centred Planning System (HCPS), which translates our values into a practical, repeatable approach for research, policy, planning, and implementation.
In this way, CUP’s culture shapes what we prioritise, while the HCPS defines how we deliver impact in real urban systems.

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