Problem Statement: At first glance, the concept of urban rhythms is often understood merely as repetitive temporal patterns or a technical lens for analyzing everyday urban life. However, beyond this superficial interpretation lies a deeper theoretical landscape that has not yet been systematically explored. Therefore, there is a need to identify and classify the diverse theoretical domains that shape the understanding of spatial-temporal dynamics in contemporary cities.
Research Question and Aim: This study seeks to answer the fundamental question: “What are the main theoretical domains associated with urban rhythms, and how can these domains be systematically identified, classified, and conceptually represented?” The main aim is to develop an integrated theoretical framework that maps, organizes, and interprets the core conceptual interactions underpinning urban rhythm studies, with particular emphasis on Henri Lefebvre’s theory of rhythm-analysis.
Methodology: Adopting a mixed-method approach, the research was conducted in two main stages. First, a bibliometric analysis was performed on 1,539 scholarly documents indexed in Scopus (1994–2024) to identify dominant research streams and recurrent conceptual clusters. In the second stage, a systematic qualitative meta-synthesis was applied to 521 selected articles, using thematic coding and clustering in ATLAS.ti. This process led to the construction of a conceptual network illustrating theoretical interrelations within the field of urban rhythms.
Findings and Conclusion: The analysis revealed five major conceptual clusters: Temporal and Rhythmic Structures, Spatial and Urban Theory, Everyday Practices and Embodiment, Socio-Political Dimensions of Space, and Production and Political Economy. Collectively, these clusters indicate that urban rhythms are multi-dimensional and multi-temporal phenomena arising from the intersection of spatial, temporal, social, embodied, and political processes. The study provides a comprehensive theoretical and analytical framework that deepens the understanding of rhythmic complexity in urban life and offers a foundation for advancing future research in spatial-social rhythmanalysis and contemporary urban theory.