Mapping the engagement of architecture and design disciplines with social media: a scientometric and bibliometric analysis

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

Purpose This study examines the engagement of architecture and design disciplines with social media (EoADSM) through a scientometric and bibliometric lens. Although social media is central to architectural discourse and public engagement, its academic and research-oriented use lacks a holistic, data-driven assessment. This research identifies key knowledge structures, scholarly trends, thematic shifts, and future directions, offering insights to help academics and institutions align with evolving digital engagement in design fields. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a science mapping approach, utilizing 256 peer-reviewed articles from the Web of Science (2001–2025). With R Studio’s Bibliometrix package, it analyzes publication trends, key contributors, keyword networks, and thematic evolution through integrated quantitative and visual techniques. Findings The results reveal a rapid expansion of EoADSM research after 2017, with a pronounced surge during and after the COVID-19 period. China emerges as the most productive contributor, while countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom play key roles in international collaboration. Factorial analyses identify five dominant research clusters: social media–driven urban behavior and spatial performance, perception of urban green spaces, built environment design and health outcomes, cultural ecosystem services and heritage management, and mobility and spatial network analysis. Thematic evolution indicates a shift from exploratory discussions toward data-intensive, perception-oriented, and AI-supported analytical approaches. Originality/value This study provides the first comprehensive, architecture- and design-centered scientometric mapping of social media research across multiple built-environment subdisciplines. Unlike prior reviews focused on isolated themes or methods, it integrates diverse research strands within a unified analytical framework, revealing the field’s intellectual foundations, structural characteristics, and emerging priorities. By identifying research gaps, methodological limitations, and future directions, the study offers a robust evidence base for scholars and practitioners seeking to advance user-centered, data-driven, and socially responsive design research informed by social media analytics.