The Dance Towards Urban Adaptability

The predominant way of thinking of the Enlightenment has not provided us with the tools to sustain the global ecosystem we are all part of. The complexity of reality cannot be understood by standards and simplifications. This brings serious risks. Because by attaching ourselves to rules and maths we become increasingly vulnerable when rules change, or when our calculations are no longer correct. In this context ‘The Last Dance’, a documentary that was broadcasted about Michael Jordan and friends several years ago, offers a special view on the reasons why MJ was exceptional. He was able to simultaneously see the patterns of the game from above, both of his own team as the opponent, and was able to undertake the specific actions which could help the ‘Bulls system’ win that game. This continuous switching between seeing the bigger picture and performing effectively, is a unique capability.

The same skills are more and more required in current times. It is no longer enough to add up individual or institutional siloed solutions, to focus on regulating society or manage work in individual modules that are not related to each other. We have to strive for higher levels of adaptability of our living environment just because of its complexity and interelatedness. By definition, such a complex system is able to continuously adjust to change and surprise. When we come too close to the far end of complexity, chaos emerges. But when we create too much simplification and order the system will come to a grinding halt. Both could be witnessed over the recent period. While thinking about our individualistic self we have withdrawn ourselves to a part of the whole where we maximised our individual profits. But this drove us directly into the arms of chaos.

We need to start thinking holistically and allow for more reflectivity regarding the problems, surprises, uncertainties and changes we face. This is the only chance to escape the funnel of order and regularity. In this part of the system where time is measurable and accountable, the Greek God Cronos reigns. Conversely, his counter-God Koiros, the god of the right moment, contemplation and coincidence, offers us reflective practice on the bigger picture, which could help raise the level of adaptability.

We need to start this dance of urban adaptability in which of complex adaptive system thinking guides our society, our economy, the way we manage our organisations and how we design our cities. The resilience cycle contains growth and decline, after which the system can reorganise itself. In that sense it is nothing new. A period of farewell to the measurable orderly world is nothing to be afraid of. Growth towards larger adaptability will replace it and more room for self-initiative, self-organisation and resilience can redesign the city as a respirative system, breathing an and out, to prevent hyperventilation after keeping our breath for too long. In urban environments this implies literally and metaphorically to design more spaces that can undergo, create and realise adjustments. This new dance has just started and we can design a ventilating city if we keep looking for the connections between concrete actions and the bigger picture. In this type of city new disruptions will get less chance to impact our societies.

It is time to dance!