Yohei KATO | Adjunct Researcher

Biography

Yohei Kato is trained in community development and urban studies. His research examines how people perceive, experience, and actively shape natural and built environments in urban contexts across the Pacific Rim. He is skilled in interdisciplinary mixed-methods research, integrating participatory action research, ethnographic inquiry, observational fieldwork, quantitative surveys, and spatial and social network analysis. Prior to his academic career, he worked in monitoring and evaluation of development projects in India and led community design and youth participatory action research initiatives in Bangladesh, Japan, and the United States.

He supports Belinda and the team on projects under Ageing Urbanism and Urban Innovation.

Education

• PhD in Architecture and Sustainable Design, Singapore University of Technology and Design (2023)
• Master of Science in Community Development, University of California, Davis (2015)
• Bachelor of Arts in International Development, University of Tsukuba, Japan (2013)

Publications

• Kato, Yohei., Chan, Francine., & Yuen, Belinda. (2026). Using social network analysis to understand residents’ social connection in a Singapore neighbourhood. Social Networks, 85, 121–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socnet.2025.12.006
• Yuen, Belinda., Kato, Yohei., Chan, Francine., Nearing, Cristina., Jimenez, Luis., & Waldeck, Felipe. (2025). Adaptive Reuse of Abandoned Rail Infrastructure Playbook. Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design.
• Kato, Yohei., Ho, Darren., Chan, Francine., Lim, Yu Wen., & Yuen, Belinda. (2024). Revitalising Reused Railway: Remaking disused rail infrastructure into people places. LKYCIC Research Paper Series, 2.
• Tshui Mum, Ha., Kato, Yohei., Chong, Keng Hua. (2024). Data Analytics for Community and Planning. In Data-Driven Smart Community Design, pp. 95-127. Routledge.
• Kato, Yohei., Lim, Samson., & Chong, Keng Hua. (2024). Collaboration as organizational empowerment: a network perspective. Journal of Community Practice, https://doi.org/10.1080/10705422.2024.2310320
• Benjumea, Diana M., Kato, Yohei., & Chong, Keng Hua. (2022). Participatory approaches to enact meaningful interconnectedness with the natural environment: a case study in Singapore. Cities & Health, 6(6), 1134-1151.
• Kato, Yohei., & Charania, Amina. (2020). How to Integrate Photovoice and Multiple Participatory Methods. In Loebach, Janet., Little, Sarah., Cox, Adina., & Owens, Patsy Eubanks. (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Designing Public Spaces for Young People: Processes, Practices and Policies for Youth Inclusion. Routledge

Conference Presentations/Proceedings

• Nearing, Cristina., Kato, Yohei., & Yuen, Belinda. (2025, Dec). Stepping Through Spatial and Social Precarity: Placekeeping of Singapore’s Rail Corridor. Presentation as part of the symposium organised by Kato, Yohei., Dancing with Precarity: Choreographing Community Design, at the 13th conference of the Pacific Rim Community Design Network 2025.
• Nearing, Cristina., Kato, Yohei., & Yuen, Belinda. (2025, May). From Proposal to Placekeeping: Tracing Landscape Democracy along Singapore’s Rail Corridor. Democratic Landscape Transformation in Action Symposium.
• Kato, Yohei., & Yuen, Belinda. (2025, May). Navigating Power Dynamics in Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration for Placekeeping: A Mixed-Methods Study of the Rail Corridor, Singapore. 56th annual conference of EDRA (Environmental Design Research Association).
• Kato, Yohei., Yuen, Belinda. (2024, December). The Role of Outdoor Recreation Space in Fostering Social Interactions: Insights from a mixed-method ethnographic study in Singapore. 9th annual conference of ICRHS (International Conference of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences).
• Kato, Yohei., Yuen, Belinda. (2024, June). Outdoor Recreation Space and Wellbeing in Singapore: A Socio-Temporal Perspective. 55th annual conference of EDRA (Environmental Design Research Association).
• Kato, Yohei. (2024, June). Examining Community Engagement through Network Analysis: A Mixed-Methods Study of a Placekeeping Initiative in Japan. 55th annual conference of EDRA (Environmental Design Research Association).
• Kato, Yohei. (2022, July). The Mechanisms of Relational Empowerment through Community Engagement: An Application of Exponential Random Graph. 51st virtual annual conference of IAPS (International Association People-Environment Studies). IAPS.
• Kato, Yohei., Sokkalingam, Kanchana D.,  Yeo, Natasha., Chong, Keng Hua. (2022, June). Mediation Effects of Residents’ Perceptions on the Association between Built Environment and Subjective Well-Being: Preliminary Findings from Singapore. 53rd annual conference of EDRA (Environmental Design Research Association). EDRA.
• Kato, Yohei. (2021, May). What Motivates Participation in Community Design? —Preliminary Findings from a Long-term Community Design Initiative in Japan. 52nd virtual annual conference of EDRA. EDRA.
• Ha, Tshui Mum., Kato, Yohei., Chen, Qingqing., Chong, Keng Hua., Poorthuis, Ate. (2020, June). Tracing Precinct Typologies and their Relationships with Community Interactions, Participation, and Sense of Place in High-rise, High-density Public Housing. 50th virtual annual conference of IAPS. IAPS.
• Chong, Keng Hua., Tongchaoran, Gao., Kato, Yohei. (2019, June). Heartland Kaki: Creative Appropriation and Community Design In Public Housing. 12t annual conference of IFoU (International Forum on Urbanism). IFoU.
• Kato, Yohei. (2015, June). Evolution of Participatory Practices: 5 disciplines, 50 Years. 38th annual conference of the Association for Community Design (ACD). ACD.