LOOSE SPACES : EMERGENCE THEORY - PLANNING FOR DIVERSITY AT URBAN DISTRICT

Abstract

This paper is a piece of research which delves into the concept/idea of sustaining public spaces as loose spaces to prevent them from decaying into residual spaces. Looseness offers a variety of possibilities and unpredictable encounters for vibrant streetscapes and urban life – unpredictable diversity. Due to several declination of public spaces, there is an increase of revitalisations for urban and waterfront public spaces. In planning and designing, we should first understand how a city works and how people interact among themselves and with their environment. A bottom-up approach incorporating this understanding is necessary in loose space planning. In relation to the overall urban context, this paper aims to explore how a bottom-up approach can be used as a better framework as compared to top-down approach to sustain loose public space as long as possible. Otherwise they would be what Roger Trancik termed as “lost”, creating fragmentation in the urban fabric. This approach leads us to the relationship between diversity and Emergence Theory. It also responds to Han Meyer’s proposal of new urban planning for the twenty-first century, which is to create conditions for sustainable urbanisation, public urban culture and new economic development. Case studies of failures and success of waterfronts were analysed for the understanding of the concept of looseness via emergence theory. From these, the underlying order (a basic set of rules - design parameters) governing the process of forming certain urban patterns necessary for development were distilled. This study suggests significant need for providing suitable framework and considerations to allow adaptability and sustainability of spaces.