CHAOS CREATES CHANCES

from Xinman Liu Landscape Architecture Portfolio 2022

WENZHOU OUJIANG ESTUARY NEW URBAN DISTRICT URBAN DESIGN

Using Chaos Theory as Lens For Better Understanding of Urban Space Enhance Community Engagement via temporary installation

Kingston Village, Cedar Rapids,IA

Fall 2016 Urban Design Studio

Instructor: Keith Billick Individual Project

What caused the flood? According to Elwynn Taylor, State Meteorologist from Iowa S tate U nivers i ty, t h e wet spring of 2008 was traceable to relatively unusual warm and wet air over the winter. Eighty percent of moisture that falls in the Midwest is from the Gulf of Mexico, and the primary cause of it coming here is the Bermuda hig h pressure. Low pressure over New Mexico or high pressure over Bermuda are rare in winter but common in summer. Predictions in Meteorology are based on Chaos theor y , which is a mathematical method for predicting the unpredictable things and capturing the infinite complexity of nature.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa was one of the hardest hit areas during the floods of 2008. Kingston Village occupies the west bank of the Cedar River in downtown Cedar Rapids. The neighbourhood was affected by the massive flood, which caused significant damage to public and private property. After the flood, the population in Kingston Village dropped rapidly; vacant lots, unused and forgotten spaces concentrated in this community.

According to the census data, population under 20 years old makes up almost one-third (28.2%) of the Kingston Village population. There is a lack of public spaces for this age group.Low-income family structure with lower education levels, very limited access to public education and decent infrastructures set up barrier for the growth of adolescents and the community future.

Compared to the bustling downtown on the other side of the river, Kingston Village seems like it hit the “pause” button. The depression of the historical blocks is to a large extent due to the estrangement with the continuous development of its surrounding regions. Noise from factories,constructions and highways becomes harsher and louder within the underused urban spaces.

When facing such complex issues and the buried history, it was hard to make predictions and envision something precise when everything seems uncertain.

Where we should draw the first line on an empty paper was hard to decide.

Landscape architecture is a discipline that precipitates change and adaptation, Instead of creating direct connections within the physical space, Landscape Architect use temporary spaces as convergence points and test fields to give actual users a chance to engaged and shape their living environment, and create connections gradually. Provide platforms that easy for other relevant party collect data, widen public engagement, and promote inspiring action to the public in order to gain comprehensive insight and information about Kingston Village before solid design is implemented.

Cedar River

What caused the flood? According to Elwynn Taylor, State Meteorologist from Iowa S tate U nivers i ty, t h e wet spring of 2008 was traceable to relatively unusual warm and wet air over the winter. Eighty percent of moisture that falls in the Midwest is from the Gulf of Mexico, and the primary cause of it coming here is the Bermuda hig h pressure. Low pressure over New Mexico or high pressure over Bermuda are rare in winter but common in summer. Predictions in Meteorology are based on Chaos theor y which is a mathematical method for predicting the unpredictable things and capturing the infinite complexity of nature.

‘city planning was a problem of organized complexity, and that it should be done by starting with the particulars and observing their behavior, instead of trying to control for a single variable useful in mathematical formulas.’

— Jane Jacobs

Nature is highly complex, and the only prediction you can make is that she is unpredictable.

The amazing unpredictability of nature is what Chaos Theory looks at.

Chaos is not something which is necessarily negative. It is the inability of human perceptions to understand the layers of a city generated by the self-organizing nature of cities.

Creates a series of vibrant, inclusive, flexible temporary public spaces that ease of transformation and active vacant or underused spaces within the community. Encouraging social interaction and bring in new opportunities for future development.Small changes and improvements can also make a huge impact on the people, society, and environment in the long term.