The concept of 'emergence', in science refers to the way complex systems and patterns arise among groups without planned organization. Emergence is now being applied in interesting ways to study urban areas that evolved spontaneously.
The lasting relevance of Jane Jacobs' Death and Life of Great American Cities lies not in its description of life on the block, but on the scientific prescriptions of its final chapter. Jacobs was a pioneer of a new scientific paradigm, emergence and complexity science, which in the last decade has produced two scientific treatises of enormous consequences: A New Kind of Science by mathematician and computer scientist Stephen Wolfram, and The Nature of Order by architect and physicist Christopher Alexander. This new science helps explain why the modernist designed city is less sustainable than the spontaneously evolved city.
Thanks to Mathieu Helie
FULL STORY: The Journey to Emergence
The Lessons Jane Jacobs and Christopher Alexander Still Have to Teach
Robert Steuteville reviews Cities Alive, by Michael Mehaffy, describing the newly released book as "an important analysis for urbanism."
Why Christopher Alexander Still Matters
The author of "A Pattern Language" and "Notes on the Synthesis of Form" had an outsize influence far beyond architecture and urbanism—and still does.
Christopher Alexander, Influential Author of "A Pattern Language," Passes Away at 85
Christopher Alexander died on March 17, leaving behind a towering legacy of influence on the fields of architecture, planning, and urban design.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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