Insights/Opinion — Harnessing Complexity and Participatory Foresight: An Innovative Approach for Sustainable Urban Planning

Abstract

This Insight paper argues that urban planning should be more than “smart” or more than just relying on the sheer amount of urban data. Rather, the urban planning should also incorporate foresight to address the complexity of urban development that urban data might have revealed. To do this, we propose the convergence of foresight (or futures studies) and complexity science within the context of urban planning. Foresight equips stakeholders with tools to anticipate and prepare for future scenarios in urban development, facilitating strategic decision-making, risk management, and policy development. Complexity science, on the other hand, offers a deeper understanding of urban systems by examining nonlinear interactions and emergent properties. This paper discusses how complexity science enriches our comprehension of urban systems, revealing intricate patterns and behaviors in the urban context. This, in turn, informed foresight methodologies that can enhance urban planning by considering dynamic urban systems. This Insight paper suggests the way to move forward is by combining foresight and complexity science for developing innovative urban planning practices to shape the future of smart and sustainable cities.