This conceptual paper positions Social Design as a comprehensive framework to overcome the limitations of technocentric urban models, particularly the erosion of social cohesion within dwellings and settlements. It integrates theories of well-being, resilience, commons, participation, relational space, reputation, and social capital into a systemic approach aimed at fostering collective well-being and community resilience. Drawing on reflexive inputs accumulated through applied research in a Prop-Tech real estate context, the paper advances two interrelated methodological frameworks. The first, Social Design for Value and Reputation, elucidates how participatory engagement and shared values generate symbolic capital and socio-cultural legitimacy. The second, Digital and Service Acceleration, illustrates how service systems and digital infrastructures can act as catalysts of positive social dynamics—such as neighbourliness, well-being, and local economic vitality.
The paper offers theoretically grounded reflections and a preliminary methodological articulation that demonstrate how Social Design can serve as a repeatable and participatory grammar for systemic value creation through communities, placing relational, behavioural, and social dynamics at the centre of the design process. Although the paper provides no empirical data, its propositions emerge from practice. They may inform policymakers, urban designers, and community practitioners seeking strategic approaches to urban governance where well-being, reputation, social cohesion, and legitimacy are at stake. As a conceptual contribution, its scientific impact is limited to theoretical elaboration, highlighting the need for future research to empirically test and operationalise these frameworks across diverse urban and cultural contexts, and to develop methods for measuring relational impacts. By synthesising multiple theoretical strands, the paper contributes an integrative and original perspective to ongoing debates on urban well-being, resilience, and reputation.