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Abstract
While complexity theory has become influential in the understanding, analysis and modelling of cities, it has been far less influential in planning and designing them. In complexity based analyses, cities are self-evidently complex adaptive systems, and this is a virtuous thing. A defining principle of complex adaptive systems is that they are scalar and hierarchical, i.e. global systems, such as cities, are formed by accumulations of other complex adaptive subsystems. This article argues that with the rise of the shopping centre and the decline of traditional precincts, the subsystems of the city, its regional, district and neighbourhood activity centres, have been increasingly organised by mechanical order rather than the self-organisation required of complexity. According to the principles of complexity theory, systems self-organised as complex adaptive systems will have greater mass and diversity, and be more resilient and stronger than systems organised via mechanical order. This article tested these principles by comparing activity centre mass and diversity between South Australian suburbs and towns. The research found that activity centres self-organised as complex adaptive systems do have greater mass and diversity than those organised via the mechanical order of the shopping centre.
复杂理论已广泛应用于理解、分析城市以及城市建模中，但在城市规划和设计中运用还不太广泛。在运用这种理论进行分析时，城市是一个自洽的、复杂的、可变的系统，是善物。复杂可变系统的基本原则即标量性和层级性。城市作为一种全球系统，是由多个其他复杂可变子系统组成。本文指出随着购物中心的兴起和传统辖区的衰败，城市的子系统，即其地区、城区和邻里活动中心，日益按照机械秩序进行组织，而失去了复杂体所要求的自组织。根据复杂理论的原则，经过自组织而形成的复杂可变系统在体量和多样性上占有优势，且比靠机械秩序组织起来的系统具有更高的弹性和强度。本文通过比较南澳大利亚州郊区和市区活动中心的体量和多样性，对这些原则进行检验，发现通过自组织方式形成的复杂可变系统作为活动中心，其体量和多样性的确大于靠购物中心机械秩序组织起来的活动中心。
Notes
1 An earlier version of this article was published as a SOAC 2015 conference paper.