Planning for dynamic cities: introducing a framework to understand urban change from a complex adaptive systems approach

Abstract

Planning for dynamic cities is a perennial problem that continues to grow in importance in a rapidly changing world. This paper presents a conceptual framework to understand urban change through a complex adaptive systems approach. This framework includes a process of (1) describing the system through setting boundaries and identifying the properties of the system, (2) identifying the patterns of change across scales and (3) mapping the change over time. The framework firstly, offers a tool to urban planners to approach some of the complexities of urban change and secondly, a foundation to engage with the challenge of developing alternative sustainable development models that are able to deal with the reality of complex, dynamic and interconnected urban systems and to cope with change and uncertainty in ways that build positive resilience and support regenerative design and development.