<![CDATA[Background: Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is commonly understood as a planning approach promoting compact land use, transit accessibility, and intermodal connectivity. However, most TOD studies in Jakarta and other developing cities remain oriented toward physical and mobility indicators, leaving the socio-spatial and everyday-use dimensions of transit areas underexplored; this study addresses that gap by examining TOD as a socio-spatial process continuously interpreted, used, and reshaped by everyday urban actors. Objective: Using placemaking theory and adaptive TOD as the analytical lens, this study explores Blok M's transformation from a conventional commercial-transport district into a dynamic urban node shaped by social interaction, spatial adaptation, and community-based activation, repositioning TOD success beyond mobility efficiency. Methods: This research uses a qualitative case study approach in Blok M, Jakarta, drawing on field observations, in-depth interviews with 15 purposively selected informants (communities, business owners, transit users, informal actors), documentation review, and thematic analysis validated through source triangulation. Results: The study shows that improved transit accessibility, pedestrian linkages, public space revitalization, and intermodal integration increased mobility flows and created new opportunities for encounter, appropriation, and collective urban experience. Communities, small businesses, transit users, and informal actors activate spaces through everyday practices and adaptive place production, exemplified by Gang Viral as a community-driven social node. Conclusion: TOD success should be evaluated not solely through transport efficiency or land-use intensification, but also through its capacity to support adaptive placemaking, social vitality, and inclusive urban life, offering implications for socially responsive TOD planning in Jakarta and similar developing cities.]]>
