Handbook on Planning and Complexity

Deepening the scientific debate on planning and complexity, this Handbook combines theoretical discussion about planning and governance with modelling complex behaviour in space and place. Linking planning and complexity as a way of understanding dynamic change and non-linear development within cities, it presents critical new insights on complex urban behaviour.

Building on the notion that cities have fractal-like structures, chapters look at their behaviour as complex adaptive systems, with co-evolving trajectories and transformative forces. The Handbook offers new perspectives, concepts, methods and tools for understanding the inter-relations between complexity and planning, including: adaptive planning, non-linear types of rationality, governance and decision-making, and different methods of experimental learning.

Planning, complexity, urban studies and social geography scholars will appreciate the examples of complex urban behaviour and urban planning throughout the Handbook. This will also be an important read for modellers in urban development, urban policy makers and spatial planners.

Contributors include: E.R. Alexander, Y. Asami, M. Batty, R. Beunen, B. Boonstra, S.D. Campbell, S. Cozzolino, M. Duineveld, S. Eräranta, N. Frantzeskaki, T. Ishikawa, W. Jager, D. Loorbach, S. Moroni, C. Perrone, J. Portugali, W. Rauws, N.A. Salingaros, K. Van Assche, A. van Nes, S. Verweij, T. Von Wirth, M. Zellner,

Edited by Gert de Roo, Professor in Spatial Planning, University of Groningen, the Netherlands, Claudia Yamu, Department of Built Environment, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway and Christian Zuidema, Associate Professor in Environmental Planning, Department of Spatial Planning & Environment, University of Groningen, the Netherlands