Contemporary approaches towards addressing issues of socially fragmented landscapes are firmly rooted in philosophies that attempt to superimpose structures of stability, order and control on to what is perceived to be an utter state of confusion and disorder. A poignant example of this attempt of ordering can be seen in recent approaches towards housing the former residents of informal and illegal housing settlements on the periphery regions of the City of Lisbon, Portugal. Disordered patchwork quilts of ad-hoc dwellings have been cleared to make way for ordered blocks of mega-dwelling residences; the designs of which have been influenced by advocates of highly structured socially planned low-income communities. Recent studies indicate that these efficiently planned communities are perpetuating the social dis-ease that they seek to eradicate.

Recent studies by Pawel Rubinowicz in the application of chaos theory to architectural and urban design suggest that computer-generated fractal models of a ‘living’ city more closely resemble organically derived patterns of city growth than the geometric models that dominate current approaches to urban design. This paper proposes to investigate whether chaos theory offers potential for the development of a design approach for socially inclusive urban landscapes. The study, which focuses on the built fabric of the city of Lisbon, is based on a recently concluded mapping study that superimposed an analysis of  the social stability of Lisbon over a highly detailed city plan. The results will be analysed for correlation that exist between social stability and the chaotic and spontaneous patterning of urban fabric that is evident in organically derived urban forms.

The paper will argue that inclusive landscapes can not be designed in themselves; socially inclusive landscapes are the products of a dynamic and chaotic growth. It will propose that the role of the architect is to create the potential for this to occur through the design of urban fields in which this dance of disorder can occur.

References:
Gilley, A (2005) Fractalled: The Interstitial Spaces and Frank Gehry. Visual Mathematics, Vol. 7, No. 1.
Rubinowicz, P. (2000) Chaos and Geometric Order in Architecture and Design. Journal for Geometry and Graphics, Vol.4, No. 3.
Talyor, M (2001) The Moment of Complexity: Emerging Network Culture. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Braun, B. (2006, unpublished) Muti-pli-city. Masters Defence Project.