Designing Complexity? The Role of Self-Organization in Urban planning and Design (2403.14175v1)

Abstract: This chapter explores the concept of self-organization in urban planning and design, highlighting its role in shaping the unique characteristics of cities. It examines how various socio-economic, cultural, and political factors contribute to the development of distinct architectural styles, emphasizing the morphological patterns and self-organization principles. The chapter addresses the emergence of scaling laws and fractal geometry in urban forms, using historical and contemporary examples to illustrate these concepts. The discussion also delves into the cognitive aspects of urban design, examining how the physical layout of cities influences cognitive maps and perceptions of urban environments, and how these perceptions, in turn, influence urban design. Through the prism of self-organization, it demonstrates the dynamic interplay between individual and collective actions and the shaping of the urban landscape. This analysis offers insights into the complex, self-organizing systems that define urban spaces, emphasizing the interdependencies among architectural design, urban planning, and human cognition in shaping cityscapes.